“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
— Matthew 6:33, KJV
Seek Ye First
The word “seek” (Webster’s 1828) means “to go in search of; to look for; to inquire after; to endeavor to find or gain by any means.” Seeking is active. It’s intentional. It requires effort, direction, and desire.
And the word “first” means “before any other; preceding all others in time, order, or importance.” Not second. Not squeezed in. Not what’s left after everything else is done.
This is the principle of firstfruits — giving God the first and the best, not the leftovers. He completely deserves to be first in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our decisions.
But it’s not always easy to carve out a time to seek him in the morning. When your feet hit the floor, the demands of the day are already nipping at your heels. Cultivating quiet time with the Lord requires a measure of sacrifice and planning. It’s going to require getting up a little earlier, while it is quiet and leaving everything else behind.
Sacrifice hitting the snooze button for another few minutes of sleep. Sacrifice switching on the tv or reaching for the phone.
Jesus gave us a pattern in Matthew 5:1 that can show us how to prepare for our quiet time with him. “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. ” He left the crowd and noise behind. He went up the mountain, and ‘into’ the mountain. He was ‘set’– he prepared. His followers came to him. “And he opened his mouth, and taught them…”
There’s your plan. Choose to leave the distractions and demands behind. (Don’t worry, they will still be there, waiting for you. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.)
Go up into the mountain. Find a quiet place, a high place where your mind is clear, like the mountain air. He didn’t just go up the mountain, he went into the mountain. Focus. Be quiet. Listen. Tell the Lord, “I am here to spend a little time with you. I am listening. I’m not here just to present my grocery list of needs and wants and complaints. I’m here to praise you and thank you, and let you direct my path for today.”
As I said, the to-do list will still be there waiting. You will still be met with demands, decisions, concerns, and frustrations. But you will have the peace, strength, confidence, and affirmation that all the things you need ‘shall be added unto you.’
FirstFruits Gathering Basket
Scripture for Meditation:
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:
my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”
— Psalm 63:1
Prayer:
Lord, help me to seek You first — before the day begins, before the worries rise, before anything else takes root in my heart. Teach me to go up the mountain with You, to step away from the noise, and meet You where You are already waiting. Set my heart on things above, and help me trust that all else will follow in Your time and Your way. Amen.
Lord, help me to seek You first — before the day begins, before the worries rise, before anything else takes root in my heart. Teach me to go up the mountain with You, to step away from the noise, and meet You where You are already waiting. Set my heart on things above, and help me trust that all else will follow in Your time and Your way. Amen.
Thought to Carry:
What is one small way I can seek Him first today?
What is one small way I can seek Him first today?
1 thought on “Seek Ye First”
It’s good to have brothers and sisters in the Lord to remind us of this – a very anointed message