“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 nlt)
A man was out driving in the country during a heavy rainstorm when he came across an old farmer who was surveying theruins of his barn. The man pulled over and asked the farmer what happened.
“Roof fell in,” the farmer replied.
“What happened with it? Why did it fall in?” asked the stranger.
“It leaked so long, it just finally rotted through,” the farmer said.
“Why in the world didn’t you fix it before it rotted through?”
“Well, sir,” said the farmer, “I just never got around to it. When the weather was good, there wasn’t a need for it.And when it rained, it was just too wet to work on.”
Isn’t it amazing that when you want to do something, you somehow manage to find the time, no matter how busy you are? But when someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do, suddenly, there is just no room in the schedule.
This can happen when it comes to the Christian life as well. If we are serving God only when it’s convenient, then we’re settling for second best. Not only that, but we’re also keeping God at arm’s length. We’re settling for a less-than-best relationship with Him. If we make time for the things of God only until something better comes along, then we’re missing out on what God wants to do in our lives.
How much better it is to make time for the things of God—to put them above everything else. How much better it is to get your priorities right. Instead of making excuses, make time for the Lord. It’s not only the simple way to live, butit’s also the best way.
Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 nlt). That’s an amazing promise. And it shows just how much God desires a personal relationship with us.
When we drift away from God, it’s because we start to believe that we need certain other things in our lives. Those things may include earthly success, wealth, possessions, hobbies, or habits. So, we pursue them with a passion. We convince ourselves that they will bring us joy, give us a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment, or fill whatever emptiness we have inside us.
And, like the farmer, we neglect the things that truly matter. And, also like the farmer, we run the risk of rot—spiritual rot.
God, in His mercy, says, “If you will prioritize your relationship with Me, if you will close the distance between us by putting Me first, I will help you see what you truly need. I’ll help you remove the rot and strengthen you inside.”
What an amazing offer! And it all begins with a priority shift.
Reflection question: What would seeking the Kingdom of God above all else look like in your life?
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang
Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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