What can you resolve to do in 2017 that will make it a great year? What would impact your life so much that on December 31, 2017 you would look back and say, “Wow! 2017 was truly an amazing year? You could resolve to exercise, and actually do it, dropping weight and building some muscle mass. You could commit to doing what it takes to get the next promotion at work, and actually do it, and get it. You could resolve to be a better husband and father, and then actually show up and encourage your wife and support, encourage, and discipline your children. The list of meaningful and impactful things is really not that long, nor a huge mystery, but it does require two things: 1) identifying the high priority needs, and 2) actually doing what it takes to make a difference. How about your Christian walk or ministry? You could make goals of reaching out to more people, doing more hands on service, praying more, reading your bible all the way through, and so on.
All good things. But here, greatness is really simplified. Here, identifying the true need gets so much simpler. In fact, getting one focus right literally solves everything. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” Can’t be that simple? Think of it as a natural law, but spiritual. Like gravity. You drop an object on this earth and it falls, literally, every time. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and He will care for you, literally, every time. He made you. He knows you. He knows what is best for you. He cares for you. He desires a first-priority relationship with you personally. Literally.
The second part of the action, the seeking, the part where we actually have to do something and stick to it, is a little tougher. Thank God that he actually pursues us! Want your ministry or the ministry of your collective group of men to be impactful in 2017? Pursue God first, with excellence, this year. Don’t chase good goals of service where we build our ego and look at the things we have done with pride; rather humbly pursue Jehovah God first, the truly excellent One, and give Him the glory for the things he has done.
Living “In Christ” in 2017 allows for great anticipation.
It’s a given that God will do His part. So how would you flesh out what it means to seek first the kingdom of God. How would you explain that phrase to a new Christ follower?