Seek Him First

While on line at the grocery store, have you every caught yourself looking at the entertainment magazines, wishing you had what others had- whether it be the wealth, the popularity, the looks, or the clothes? Maybe, you have even turned on the television and have seen programs highlighting the lives of the rich and famous and have envied them for what they have. In our world today it seems that the mindset is always toward getting more, looking better, and gaining more popularity. And the sad thing is, no matter how much we do get, how great we already look, or popular we become, there is always just that little bit more to go because ultimately someone out there may have just a little bit more than we think we have. But really, if we take the time to think about it, is that how we are to be led in life, patterning our lives after the lives of celebrities? Should our goal be to always get more in this world and find ways to make ourselves happy in this life with what the world has to offer? If that is the case, the pursuit will never end. The truth is this present world is guided by three underlying pursuits- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- and we can often find two (if not all three) of these things continually promoted on television and on the magazine counters. But now, here comes the dilemma: in this life there are things we need and want, so then how do we find our needs met if we don't seek them in our own strength? I believe the answer to this question can be found in Matthew 6:19-34, which begins by telling us that we are not to store up treasures for ourselves here on earth but rather in heaven. Our mind is to be focused on God's Kingdom and not on the things in this world; we are to look toward the things of eternity rather than the things of this life. Okay, perhaps you're still wondering, "If we set our mind on spiritual things, how will we find our needs met here on earth?" God answers this unspoken question in the following verses (Matthew 6:25-33), promising that as we seek Him first, He will provide for us the needs that everyone in this world is striving after: food and clothing. He tells us not to worry about these things, because He will make sure our needs our met! In my own life I have seen this so many times with things the Lord has done for me, and not just "need" wise. Years ago (2003), when I started teaching, I wanted to work in a public school because I noticed that the teachers there were all "given" laptops. (Actually, the laptops were on loan to them by the school, but I don't think I realized that at the time.) Yet, God had other plans for me, instead of having me work in a public school for my first five years of teaching. When I went to meet with the pastor of a local Christian school, where my sister was already teaching, I felt an inner peace from God that this was where He wanted me to be. Although there were no laptop "giveaways" to teachers in this small Christian school, I enjoyed working there and God supplied my needs. Yet, He certainly surprised me one day when I joined the teachers in Orlando for their annual teacher's convention. It was the first day of our two-day convention, and the staff had arrived a bit late. So, most of us were seated in the back of the large auditorium, which seated around a thousand or more teachers. At the end of the morning general session, they did their usual prize drawings, and stated that they would be giving away a computer. I wanted it, and in my heart I believe that God could give it to me if He wanted to. Well, sure enough the man reached into the box full of teacher's names, and pulled out a piece of paper with my name on it! I won a Dell Inspiron Notebook. Wow, does God supply! I used that laptop to do many things I enjoyed. It was definitely a gift from God. When I share with people these and many other things God has done for me, some may say or think I am a lucky person, and that is not true at all. What I do believe is true is the principle found in Matthew 6, that as we seek God first, He will supply our every need (and perhaps even some of those "wants" too). God is definitely good, and when the Owner of all Creation is our first priority, you can be sure He can definitely give you what you could not gain in your own strength. So, next time you feel tempted to envy the life of someone else for what they have, look up and smile because God will take care of you in ways so much greater than you or this world could ever offer when you put Him first.