Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God”. What does “first” mean? Before all things. Above all things. But how easy it is for other things to choke the very hunger for the things of God. It never ceases to amaze me the time and money that people have for entertainment or to build “bigger barns.” The people of God in the days of Haggai were guilty of that very thing. The remnant from Babylon returned to Jerusalem and laid the foundation for the temple. Then opposition to the work set in and the work ceased. Oh they did not deny that building the temple was important. They were saying that it was not the time for the temple to be built.
That scenario is all too common in today’s church world. People get saved and all excited about Jesus, and about reading Scripture and sharing their faith and serving, and then….opposition comes, or the pursuit of other things enters in and chokes the hunger and thirst for the Word of God and the things of God. Haggai would say to reader and writer alike, “Consider your ways.” (Haggai 1:5,7) What motivates you to live the way you do? What brings you joy? What makes you cry? Is your temple in disrepair this morning, beloved? Consider your ways and seek first the kingdom of God! Selah
