The Priority of Life Matthew 6:31-33

What is the priority of your life—the one thing around which everything else revolves? Jesus tells us that God’s kingdom and righteousness are to be our highest priority.

Such a lofty goal will never be achieved through passivity. Rather, it demands continuous, diligent effort. “To seek” means to be active and aggressive in our quest. This isn’t an issue that is settled once and for all in life; it must be pursued every day, moment by moment.

We live in a world of two opposing realms, which are in constant conflict—the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. Our only protection against the Devil is the authority of the King of Kings. To seek the Father’s kingdom is to submit to His rule over every area of our lives. The bottom line is obedience. Every decision must be subjected to His will.

To seek God’s righteousness means submitting to His process of transforming us into Jesus’ image. An integral part of this procedure is the renewing of our minds with Scripture. The Word of God washes away worldly thinking and replaces it with the Father’s viewpoint and instructions. By yielding to His promptings, we will begin to sense His presence and discover the most satisfying relationship possible.

Stop and evaluate your priorities. Who or what dominates your thoughts and affections? Where do you invest time and money? How do you come to a decision? Making Christ top priority requires you to surrender your time and submit your will—but the rewards far outweigh any sacrifice.

In the Wilderness

For the Lord . . . Makes her wilderness like Eden.

Isaiah 51:3

In my mind’s eye I see a howling wilderness, a great and terrible desert, like the Sahara. I perceive nothing in it to relieve the eye; all around I am wearied with a vision of hot and arid sand, on which are ten thousand bleaching skeletons of wretched men who have expired in anguish, having lost their way in the pitiless waste. What an appalling sight! How horrible! A sea of sand without boundary and without an oasis, a cheerless graveyard for a forlorn race.

But look and wonder! All of a sudden, springing from the scorching sand I see a well-known plant; and as it grows it buds, the bud expands—it is a rose, and at its side a lily bows its modest head—and, miracle of miracles, as the fragrance of those flowers is diffused, the wilderness is transformed into a fruitful field, and all around it blossoms abundantly like the glory of Lebanon, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon. Do not call it Sahara; call it Paradise. Do not refer to it any longer as the valley of death, for where the skeletons lay bleaching in the sun, a resurrection is proclaimed, and up spring the dead, a mighty army, full of life immortal. Jesus is that well-known plant, and His presence makes everything new.

The wonder is no less in each individual’s salvation. I can see you, dear reader, cast out, an infant, unclothed, unwashed, defiled with your own blood, and left to be food for beasts of prey.

But look, a jewel has been thrown into your bosom by a divine hand, and for its sake you have been pitied and guarded by divine providence; you are washed and cleansed from your defilement; you are adopted into heaven’s family; the fair seal of love is upon your forehead, and the ring of faithfulness is on your hand—you are now a prince to God, though once an orphan and a castaway. Cherish then the matchless power and grace that changes deserts into gardens and makes the barren heart sing for joy.