31.12.2019
IBC Admin
Matthew 6:33 tells us if "we seek God's kingdom first and its righteousness all these things will be added unto us." There is a promise here by Jesus that as we put God first, then what we need financially, physically, relationally and all other areas we tend to fret and be anxious will be added by God Himself.
In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He teaches and reminds us "Blessed are those who thirst and hunger for righteousness for they shall be filled." (Matt 5:6) And the word "blessed" here in the original language has the idea of happiness or a sense of well-being. Jesus is alerting us to a spiritual principle that when we deeply long for the things of God, God would not only fill us with the things we long for, but there would also be a sense of joy attached to it.
This leads us to a question: as we look ahead to 2020, what do we truly thirst, hunger and long for? The answer to that question will reveal where our hearts are and what we believe about joy and happiness. If we deeply hunger above all else for greater financial security, retirement from work, better health, success or the many other things the world parades before us, then we will be convinced that our happiness and well-being will come with the fulfillment of those things.
But as God's word warns us, "The world and its desires are passing away," (I John 2:17). Those things can never really fill us, because none of them can follow us in eternity. In fact, every one of those things will be gone one day. Therefore, true joy and happiness can never come as we seek them.
Jesus in that same Sermon in Matthew 6:33 tells us if "we seek God's kingdom first and its righteousness all these things will be added unto us." There is a promise that as we put God first, then what we need financially, physically, relationally and all those areas we tend to fret and be anxious for will be added by God Himself. God is not promising perfection but promising us that we will be given enough that we may be satisfied as we seek our satisfaction in Him first.
As we look to 2020 let us put the things of God first. Let us ask Him to give us a heart that truly thirsts and hungers for the things of God. Let us seek Him with all our heart. When we do that then we will be filled as Jesus again promised, "out of our hearts will flow streams of living water." (John 7:38)