Seek first His Kingdom: Christ's Way & Life Abundantly | Matthew 6 & John 10

in #steemchurch5 years ago (edited)

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This morning a friend shared Matthew 6:33 and as God's living Word always does, it raised some serious considerations in my mind I wanted to share with you all.

What does it mean to live without anxiety over worldly needs? What does it mean to have "all" that we need?

Let's read God's Word and then discuss.

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Matthew 6:25-33 English Standard Version (ESV)

Do Not Be Anxious

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

In Christ we have all we need: "Life abundant"

I have often meditated upon Matthew 6 and the meaning behind it. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you... its as if when we align ourselves with Christ's will, plan and purposes we can't help but be filled up as required.

In part this surely means that our good Father will mercifully provide food, water, clothes and whatever we require, but also so much more. Coming near God's will, and serving His kingdom, is to deny living for the world, and instead live our intended purpose, which is walking with Christ and glorifying God. As Christ said in John 10:10, He came that we may have life and life abundantly, juxtaposing abundant life with the enemies lies, which is worldly emptiness.

So yes, following Christ's path entails complete physical provision, but more importantly that we are filled and overflowing with true wealth and life abundantly.

To align yourself with God's will is itself to walk the path of purpose, intended by our creator, and while on that "path" you cannot help but be sustained.

CS Lewis says, "if you want to get warm you must stand near the fire..."

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“If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them. They are not a sort of prize which God could, if He chose, hand out to anyone. They are a great fountain of energy and beauty spurting up at the very centre of reality. If you are close to it, the spray will wet you: if you are not, you will remain dry. Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever? Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die.”

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The Abundant Life: Walking with Christ:

Come close to the source of all life and you will live, but move away and you can't help but be emptied.

God is the source of love, light, life, joy, peace, justice, grace and mercy. There is nothing but absence apart from Him. Seek first His Kingdom, His purpose, His will, and we shall be filled by His presence which is all that we need. In a literal sense this means, come close to God's will and He shall provide our worldly requirements, but behind the veil it means so much more.

"Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever? Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die?"

I think the same logic is at work when God says that if you had faith like a mustard seed and you said to the mountain "move", it would move (Matthew 17:20). In alignment with God we have power, life and fulfillment... apart from him nothing.

As always, thank you for your time and attention. Have an amazing day and God bless you and yours.

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