Bible Reading Blog
“Seek God, Like Jesus”
Categories: Congregational Bible ReadingBIBLE READING: Matthew 6.19-21; 22.36-38
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6.21). We give our affections to things we think are most important. If we love a sports team, we spend time watching games and wearing team jerseys. If we value our career, we spend hours at the office. If a man spends all his time at work and never makes time for his wife, it insults the wife. When we make something a higher priority than God, we’re declaring that it’s more deserving of our love than God is. If we treasure and love God, we will seek him first.
Jesus would say the greatest commandment is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22.37). In other words, seek God first with everything we are and do. Jesus modeled practical ways we can do this. He got up early to spend time in prayer (Mark 1.35). He ordered his life to do and be what God expected him to be (Mark 1.31-32). He adamantly crafted his teaching according to what he heard from God (John 5.19, 30).
We must learn to do the same. I understand that Jesus is the Son of God who had a clearly defined purpose and destiny. It can be a daunting task to follow in his footsteps. But he left heaven to help us exposing the futility of selfish living. His teaching and example beg us to seek God first.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6.19). When I tell my kids “Do not do that” it’s usually a strong warning against something potentially harmful. Jesus isn’t saying, 'don’t have stuff'; but he knows the danger our earthly treasures possess. They distract us from the true treasures of knowing and trusting God. We often allow these things to not only motivate but dominate. Don’t let that happen. But how? We are so drawn and enticed by our own desires, comforts and things. The fact is we often seek our own desires and not the desires of God. To seek God first is a reset from the first thought of our day. From our waking moments, we must concern ourselves with God’s wants and not my own. My schedule, my finances, my pursuits all need to conform themselves to the thought of, “What does God want from me today?” Seeking God first doesn’t just require spiritual disciplines (prayer, bible reading, etc.). It requires we engage our most mundane moments with godly motivation. At the store, in our home, on the job, we must consider what God wants and act upon that first.
Today, don’t just claim to seek God first. Put it in your mind, treasure it in your heart, and practice it in your life. Let your words be directed by scripture. Let your activities be motivated by service. Let your heart be moved by God’s love for you and the world. Seek God first, like Jesus.
