31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Want to know the antidote to worry? Be a kingdom seeker and a righteousness bearer. Matthew states this verse in the following way:
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:33-34 (NIV)
As followers of Christ, we are to be concerned with the eternal things of God not the temporal things of this world which are, as Paul states “passing away”:
For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Cor 7:31 (NIV)
Fueling his motivation for kingdom seeking and righteous living, Paul adds in II Corinthians:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:16-18 (NIV)
Since I am a “How-To” type of girl (and I use the term “girl” loosely!), let’s consider a few applications here. What exactly does it mean to be a kingdom seeker and a righteousness bearer? While certainly not exhaustive, the following may help us with the application of this truth:
• Christ comes first. He is to be number one. When the worries of this world crowd out our relationship with Him, placing Him on the back burner, so to speak, we can be confident we are not kingdom seeking: 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, Matthew 6:33.
• Christ is our focus. It matters where our gaze is fixed – this is the direction in which we will walk our path of life. If our eyes are towards the world, towards the lesser temporal things of nature, that’s the direction we will walk, if toward our Lord, that is the direction our life will go. Hebrews 12 tells us: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3 (NIV)
• We are to forge ahead in our knowledge of Christ. Paul pleads with us in Romans 12: 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (NIV) Our minds are made new (transformed – a total change from inside out) through the daily reading and application of God’s precious Word, prayer and Christian fellowship. Transformation, Chuck Swindoll states: “is the deliberate determination to think biblically and to act accordingly.” This is the only way to renew our mind, it will not just magically happen because we desire it. Just like our bodies will not be trim and fit and muscular just because we desire it (too bad!). Desire is the beginning step followed by the diligent work. We are told: 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 (NIV)
• We are to stand fast and live for righteousness. Peter tells us: 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) Paul also tells us because of Christ’s finished work on the cross we have gone from being slaves to sin to becoming slaves of righteousness: 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:18 (NIV) We are also told by Paul to live as children of light: 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. Eph 5:8-10 (NIV)
“Theirs is an endless road, a hopeless maze, who seek for goods before they seek for God.” Bernard of Clairvaux