Seek First…Receive Next

Back in the summer of 1988, a big hit on the musical pop charts was the song “Don’t Worry, Be happy.” It was a simple song done entirely with voice, no instruments, which was catchy and fun. It’s message was just as the title implies, don’t worry, be happy. Worry is a topic that is addressed throughout Scripture, because it is a “sport” that many (if not all) of us excel at. My wife will tell you I can be a worry wart. Mmm…guilty. To an extent. My personality and my training in the military incline me to think out different scenarios and outcomes. To my defense, it has served us well at times. But worry can become insidious. And worry is in essence, telling God, “This problem is too big for you, so I need to take care of it.” Today’s passage is important for so many reasons, but in these verses, Jesus is telling us directly not to worry. Verse 25 states this from the outset, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life” and then proceeds to give examples that encompass everything we can possibly worry about in life. Food, clothing, esteem. Essentially, what we were taught in sociology class in high school, Lazlo’s hierarchy of needs: physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. It is our God-given instinct of survival. So, if He put it there, they must be important. But where the rub occurs is when we place that above our relationship and trust in God. Seeking these needs come after first seeking God. As verse 33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” One of the first songs that really impacted me when I first became a Christian is a hymn called, “See ye first.” First released in 1971, it beautifully captures Christ’s words in this passage. And when we seek God first, a wonderful thing happens; worry fades. In verse 34, Christ tells us to not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. One of the many ‘isms” I’ve heard over the years is “Don’t’ go looking for trouble.” The older I have gotten, the more I have experienced its wisdom. Our greatest source of wisdom comes from the Bible, for it is God’s breathed Word to us. And Christ tells, don’t worry. Seek Him first, and what is to come will be received next. Pray on!