First Things

         What are the "first things' in your life?  You might find that there is a list of things that you have prioritized in your life.  Year's ago, I would get into my car, start the engine and drive off.  Then, a number of years later, we had to add another step to that action.  Now, we get into the car, buckle the seat belt and then start the car.  In fact now, I have to have my foot on the brake pedal in order to start the car.  In some of the cars I owned, the starter button was under the clutch, so you had to push the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor in order to start the engine.  There are many things that we do with a series of steps and how we do them depends on how we prioritized their importance.  Many people don't do anything until they have their first cup of coffee.  Matthew 6:33-34 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
        Matthew's gospel had just gone through a discussion of the concern for food and clothing.  These are two of the most basic necessities of life and Matthew declares that if you do something else, these will be provided for you.  We look at the simple words, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." and perhaps wonder how this is going to give me food to eat and something to wear.  We soon learn that God has His ways of taking care of the needs in your life and at times they are almost impossible to believe.  It should not be our aim to discover His ways, but to trust that He has them in the first place and all we have to do is to seek Him first in each and everything that we do.  So, our priority is placed in God first.  I believe that there was a group a number of years ago that came out with a button to wear on your clothing that said, "JESUS FIRST" and would give some sort of testimony to others that you had put Christ first in your life.  While the button does nothing the characteristic will.  It is hard for some people to put God first in their lives after they have trust so many years in their own self sufficiency.  We have our homes, cars, closets packed with clothes, pantries stocked with enough food to lest several years, two cars or more, jet skis, boats guns and guitars to provide all that we need ourselves, so why do we even stop to think about God providing our needs.  We have been blessed more abundantly than we should have been in the first place but that doesn't take away the duty to have put God first in everything.  Following God and seeking after His righteousness is living the Biblical way.  That means that God comes first before your first cup of coffee.  That means that God comes first when you walk out of the door of your home.  It means that God comes first when you make a decision in regard to your living.  So, praise God today, even right now, for all that He has given to you.