Bible Verse
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (NLT)
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・Verse Context
・Key Words
・References from Other Verses of the Bible
・Main Message
・How to Apply This Verse in Your Life
・How to Further Study the Verse
We like to think we're good at priorities. We make lists, rank our tasks, and tell ourselves we've got things in order. But what if the way we think about putting God first is actually a clever way of putting Him somewhere in the middle? Jesus said something in Matthew 6 that completely disrupts our comfortable approach to faith—He told us to seek God's kingdom first, and He meant it in a way that makes most of us squirm. This isn't about adding God to our already-full lives. It's about letting Him rearrange everything.
Short Devotional
Think about how we use the word "first." We say God is our first priority, but what we really mean is He's at the top of a very long list. We'll pray first thing in the morning, then get to our real day. We'll tithe from our first paycheck, then spend the rest however we want. We've turned "first" into a time slot or a percentage rather than what Jesus actually meant—complete priority that determines everything else. Jesus wasn't asking for the first spot on our list. He was asking to be the one who writes the list.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: when Jesus said "seek first," He was drawing a line in the sand. He was saying that kingdom priorities and personal security can't share the throne. We can't say we're seeking God's kingdom first while our bank accounts, career choices, and daily schedules tell a completely different story. The question isn't whether God is somewhere in our lives—it's whether He gets to decide what our lives look like. That's a much bigger ask, and it's exactly what Jesus is calling us to consider.
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father,
I'm standing here today realizing that I've been playing word games with You.
I say You're first in my life, but if I'm honest, I've given You the opening ceremony while I run the rest of the show. I've learned to squeeze You into my schedule rather than building my schedule around Your kingdom.
Forgive me for treating "seek first Your kingdom" like a suggestion I can negotiate with instead of the complete reordering of my life that You intended.
I confess that I'm afraid of what it would actually look like to put Your kingdom truly first. What if it costs me the security I've worked so hard to build? What if people think I'm irresponsible?
I've convinced myself that being smart about money and career is the same as seeking Your kingdom, but deep down I know I've just baptized my fear with spiritual language. I've made "balance" my goal when You never asked for balance—You asked for surrender.
Thank You for being patient with me while I figure this out. Thank You for the promise that when I actually seek Your kingdom first, You'll take care of everything else I need.
Help me trust that promise enough to let it change how I make decisions. Show me where I'm holding back, where I'm playing it safe, where I'm choosing comfort over obedience.
Give me the courage to reorganize my life around Your priorities, even when it doesn't make sense on paper.
In Jesus's name, Amen.
Journaling Prompts
If you really believed God would provide everything you needed, what decision would you make differently this week? Think about something specific—a job choice, a financial decision, a time commitment.
Where have you spiritualized your fear by calling it "wisdom" or "responsibility"? Be specific about areas where you've convinced yourself that playing it safe is the same as being faithful.
What are you afraid would happen if you completely surrendered control to God's kingdom priorities? Name the specific fears that keep you from going all-in.
God isn't asking for a better spot on your priority list. He's asking to be the one who determines what goes on the list in the first place. That's uncomfortable, costly, and completely worth it. May you find the freedom that comes from finally letting go and seeking first what actually matters most.
Until next time,
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May He make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you and give you peace.
God Bless!
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