Constancy- Responding Consistently
Mathew 6:33(HCSB)
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
In preparing to write the final blog of this series, “As We Respond, He Responds,” I’ve been reminded of our deep & desperate need for stillness. Let’s look at more of the text:
Matthew 6:32-34 (BSB)
For the pagans strive after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.…
Stop Striving.
Rest.
If we seek Him first, we find rest for our weary souls. He meets our daily needs. If we seek Him first, these things are provided us, which begs the question, what are ‘these things’? Wikipedia states, “Jesus has just told his followers not to worry about material things such as food or clothing, as God will provide the needs of his followers. Earlier in the
The word first means coming before all others in time or order/foremost in position, rank or importance. As a military spouse, I am all too familiar with rank. It would be easy for me to equate my status with the Lord based on my performance. That would not be hard to do. Performance has lowered my perceived rank before. The beautiful thing about God is that He outranks us every time, but we can rest in His presence, in His position, in His performance. He is not competing with us for
I can rest. Let me be found resting in You.
As we’ve been preparing for our 8-Week Bible Study- Lessons from the Prayer Life of Jesus, I’ve been looking at week two, ‘A Sacred/Secret Place to Pray.’ Friends, seeking His Kingdom first sometimes looks like a quiet bench in the middle of the night, in the darkest nights of the soul. Lately, as I lay in bed in the wee hours of the morning, there is an urgency calling me to get up and go (and not to the bathroom). This is a good thing- the getting up and going, away from the soft creature comforts of my king-sized bed to the true comforter of my soul. I need to remember what I am leaving for the great benefit of what I am seeking. I get to meet with the King of the universe. He wants to meet with me and I with Him.
As we respond, He responds.
As God awakens this groggy, wearied head from her slumber, the dark still attempts to consume me. I want to get up and go out to meet Him, but fear still grips me. Can I not pray from the comfort of this bed? Need I get up and go out? What if I were to wake those who still rest peacefully near me?
Even as I stir, the worries and what-ifs set in. So, I settle back into my creature comforts, praying and seeking from the comfort of my bed. No more. While there is a time and a place for snuggling in, there is also a time for rising.
Stand Fast!
If you are even minimally informed of what’s going on in our world today, then you understand the need to RISE.
Stand Firm!
Get Up!
Psalm 53:2 (NIV)
God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Lord God, may you find me seeking, not sleeping.
What is the worst thing that could happen? That someone may find me praying? Isn’t that a great place to be found? In Him praying, in the wee hours of the morning. In some of the darkest moments of our souls?
These are life’s first opportunities to pray light into the darkness.
Song of Solomon 2:10 (NIV)
“My beloved responded and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along.’ “
I want to leave you with this biblical text as we end this series:
Philippians 2:6-8 (ESV)
“…who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
If I am being honest, I have often found myself grasping- for understanding, for faith, for clarity, for more of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t grasp, He gives. Jesus humbled Himself, emptied Himself to the obedience of death, even death on a cross.
As we transition to our next series, Lessons from the Prayer Life of Jesus, will you consider meeting with us to
John 12:35 (NASB)
So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the
Ladies, we know where we are going.
We will walk in darkness no more.
Will you join us in prayer, responding consistently to God as He responds consistently to His daughters? As we prepare to learn and model the prayer life of Jesus, let’s join hands and hearts over the darkest of places, bringing God’s supernatural healing and light into our brokenness.