DAY 6

SEEK FIRST

JESS CIARAMITARO, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. —Matthew 6:33

This passage, for believers, is a familiar one. But there’s a danger that comes with familiarity, isn’t there? We skim past it, glaze over it, mistaking the familiar with the insignificant, etch a mental checkmark, and move on. After all, we’ve got things to do! However, God’s Word is unlike any other book that has ever been written because it is Living. The words don’t change, but through holy revelation, when our hearts are open, we can hear new whispers and glean new insight. That’s what I absolutely love about God’s Word! I have seen this scripture countless times in my youth and into adulthood, and yet, just recently God spoke fresh revelation into this verse. (Can we just pause right there and praise God for a moment? His Word is living, His revelation is unending, and the Bible will continue to speak into our lives for as long as we give God permission. Whew!)

Now, back to our verse:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. —Matthew 6:33

Seek first.

God has taken this little phrase and put it under the magnifying glass of His Spirit and completely changed my prayer life. Before I dive in, I’d like to note if you’re further along in your journey then I am, please forgive me if this reads as elementary. I know that those who have learned this practice now view it as fundamental and absolutely essential.

Seek first.

Until about a month ago, I had always read this “seek first” as a heart posture; a broad-strokes mindset. However, for the first time in my life, while reading this statement, I read it on a micro-view, and felt the Lord clearly challenging me to literally seek Him as the very first part of my day. Prior to this, each season of life brought its own unique rhythm, and I would pencil Jesus in when I could find a gap in the schedule, or if I’m being really honest, double-book Him with my driving time, shower time, cooking time. I have never considered myself a morning person and cherish my sleep (I’m a mom, after all). Yet, there it was, very simple and clear:

Seek first.

So, I made the change. I set the alarm for an hour before my boys usually wake, made a cup of tea, grabbed my Bible, journal, worship music, an extra book, and settled in. For the first ten minutes or so, I honestly was just trying to wake up and focus my scattered thoughts. But as time ticked on, I quietly began singing along with the worship music, then whispering the Psalms back to Him, and picturing the Throne Room as described in Revelation 4. Fifteen minutes in, the thinking had stopped and communication began. Thirty minutes in, my journal had new scribbles, my Bible had new underlines, and my prayers had new life. An hour in, I had to get ready for the day, but the songs carried over into the shower, the whispered prayers turned into uplifting comments, and I couldn’t wait to get to Staff Prayer (a privilege I consider myself spoiled to be a part of).

That week, I spent about 14 hours in focused prayer. Not because I was supposed to, but because I wanted to. Not because I am great or impressive, but because He is. I unlocked the beauty inside the rhythm of seeking first. Seeking first sets the tempo for the rest of our day, tuning our ears to the Spirit’s leading.

In addition to when I was seeking Him, He has gently guided me in how “seek first” prayers are structured. Let’s look at the rest of the verse together:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

It is extremely common to pray “all these things” prayers. What do I mean by that? Often, prayer is inspired by earthly, temporary needs—we seek God out when we need something or have a request that is on our heart. (Which is fine, by the way; He is a good Father). This should not, however, be how we structure our prayers on a consistent basis. We are to pray about Kingdom things! When we seek first the kingdom, we are elevating our perspective to that of Heaven—bringing revelation and insight well beyond the circumstance we find ourselves in and into the eternal war being waged. The change can be as simple but as mighty as shifting away from “Lord, please fix this,” out of our desire for comfort, to

“Lord, your will be done! Use me to advance your Kingdom in this situation!” These are the prayers that come from the posture of a servant, not someone who wants God to serve them. These are the prayers that will have Heaven echoing a great and mighty “amen!” These are the prayers that attract the God of the universe.

Wherever you are in your prayer life, I want to encourage you to seek first His kingdom. Literally, first thing in the morning, as well as the posture of your heart. Jesus is worthy of our time, or attention and our affection. May He be honored in your devotion this week.

PRAYER

Jesus, I ask that you stir up a hunger in my spirit for more time in your presence. I want to become captivated by you in a greater way than ever before. Breathe fresh life into my time with you. I believe that if I show up consistently and put you first in my day and in my life, you will bring fresh revelation and excitement into my spiritual life. Let your will be done in my life; let it be said of me that I was one to seek first the Kingdom. In Jesus name, amen.