January 1

First Things First
 
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:28

Prayer, by its very nature, is nothing less than seeking the kingdom of God.  This can be seen most clearly in the model for prayer given to us by Jesus, where the first request of that prayer is, “Thy kingdom come.”  While we most certainly have needs, and it is fitting to bring those needs to the Lord, in seeking the kingdom of God first we recognize that the answer to every need we have is found in the kingdom of God.  When Jesus gave this instruction to seek the kingdom of God first, He did so after telling those who heard Him not to worry about what they would eat or drink or wear, all essential needs.  Seeking the kingdom first, though, would bring relief from anxiety about how the most essential needs would be met.  Applying this to our lives right now, by dedicating the first three weeks of this year to prayer and fasting, we have declared that we are seeking the kingdom of God first in 2023.  This year will present its fair share of challenges.  We will have plenty of essential needs this year.  As we seek His kingdom first, we will be able to experience peace in the face of every need we have this year.  We have acknowledged that every need we have is met in the kingdom of God.  Peace for each day and endurance for the entire year will be ours as we seek His kingdom and put first things first.