“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God.” This verse gives direction to our life. There are many who have forgotten about the importance of God in their life. They are trudging through this life living for the here and now without looking towards that life which is to come in Heaven. In the south we are surrounded by many church buildings, but is a life of faith something that is truly important for us?
And so we are told, “No man can serve two masters.” There are many who are living in the midst of such duplicity. This a statement concerning mastery and slavery. What is our ultimate desire in this life? We have the freedom to choose what it will be which will master us. Will we live for God or something else? This is something that we cannot compromise on. This statement is not telling us to be unconcerned with everything that is going on in our life with all of its needs, but is directing us to make God the focus of our life. Is He the focus or is the focus placed on something else?
“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God” is the direction that we must take against such duplicity. If such a statement is true within us we will live our life looking outward towards that life which is to come, Heaven. This means that everything we strive to do is connected to the life of faith instead of being divorced from it. We cannot separate our Christian identity from the rest of our life. This was cause us to attempt to serve two masters.
As we are taught in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The verse is drawing our attention away from becoming a slave to mammon and thus attempting to serve two masters. It is reminding us that despite all that takes place within our life we have been given purpose in God. Such love brings purpose into our life when there seems to be a lack of such clarity.
In coming to pursue the kingdom of God above all things our life is given further meaning. This does not mean that we will no longer have anything to fear or struggle with. It does mean that we have a place of refuge found in the Lord. It is He to whom we ought to confide in the midst of all that we undergo in this life. This relationship must be cultivated for without it we will have nothing to rest our head upon.
Despite the struggle that can and will take place in the midst of our life our Gospel message is one of great joy. This joy is found in God and His coming Kingdom. This joy is found in the freedom that has set us free from our slavery. This joy is knowing that we are headed somewhere instead of just moving forward without a greater purpose. Let us firmly choose God over mammon for in doing so we are seeking first the kingdom of God.
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