For some reason over the course of the last few days, the song ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God’ has been playing in my head. I thought it was a little odd because I haven’t heard that song in ages. But it’s been playing when I wake up and at random times throughout the day.
About a week ago, my daughter and I were in bed going through our night time routine, and out of nowhere, she told me that she knows what an idol is. She described it as a wooden image that people worship. I think I was in such shock, that I said yes, even though as an adult, I know that idols came in many forms. I just didn’t think she would understand that concept yet, and didn’t want to confuse her, but for now, she understood that an idol is an image that we worship instead of God.
A few nights ago, I needed some encouragement, so I googled the particular topic and emotion I was feeling (yes, I do that a lot). But when I do that, I’m only looking for a biblical perspective or something written by a Christian author. The first article that caught my attention, was the only one I read that night. It left me humbled and blessed. It talked about how sometimes when we are looking for things that we start putting them in front of God. Any thing that we put in front of God becomes our idol. In my opinion, it is in those times that God delays His response. She goes on to say that God wants us to realize that He is all we need. It is only when we get to the point of complete satisfaction with Him and His love that He will give us the desires of our hearts. He doesn’t want to be replaced by whatever it is that has consumed our mental capacity. And as we are different, so are our wants and needs different, and what we choose to idolize will be different.
Matthew 6:33 NIV states ‘but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ As I’m writing this and went to look for the passage, notice what it says ‘these things will be given to you AS WELL’. I think of Solomon when he asked for God’s wisdom. He didn’t ask for wealth or fame, had he asked for either of those things, he likely would have gotten whatever one item he asked for. But because he asked for God’s wisdom, he got EVERYTHING. He sought God first.
Friends, I have no idea what you are asking God for, and what He seems to be delaying. What I do know is that today He’s asking you and me, to put Him first. He wants to be first in everything that we do, only then can He entrust us with the desires of our hearts.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for conversations that serve to humble us, and send us seeking you first. Help us to come to you for all our needs, knowing that you will provide, but help us to never forget where all good gifts come from, and help us not to idolize the thing that we want from you to the point of losing our first love for you.