Jesus made this all-important statement in his very first sermon. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” “These things”, that Jesus refers to, that will be added to you, are the concerns of life; our family, our finances, the details of our existence. “These things” will be taken care of if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Through our filters, we read these words this way: “Try hard to do what God says and He will reward you with the things of life. Be good and your life will work out the way you want.” This most common misconception of religion leads many to great disappointment, disillusionment and even resentment towards God. It even keeps many away from him.

Read again, “Seek first the kingdom of God…” You see, we all have something we “seek first.” It is the thing toward which most of our time, energy, attention, and even resources are directed. “Seeking first” simply refers to that which is of highest value to us, and therefore has most of our attention and focus.

We all have some “thing” that we seek first. Whatever that thing is, it becomes the thing that organizes the rest of my life. If I seek first my marriage, everything in my life is ordered around my marriage. If I seek first financial gain, everything in my life is organized around money. Jesus is simply describing a principle of reality. Whatever I seek first organizes every other facet of my life. Now watch.

If I seek first relief from frustration, the things that frustrate me are given power to organize all the other aspects of my life. If I seek first relief from pain, my pain now becomes the organizing principle of my life. Don’t blink here…If I seek first my release from bondage, my bondage becomes the organizing factor in my life.

Jesus was telling us that if we learn to make the kingdom of God our first pursuit, that our frustrations, our money, our pain, and even our bondage will be organized by God’s kingdom. Seeking first the meeting of your needs will ultimately put you at the center of your life. Isn’t this the very thing that got the human race in trouble in the first place?

(Bob Hamp is the Executive Pastor over Pastoral Care at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, and the author of the book, Think Differently Live Differently: Keys to a Life of Freedom. His writing can also be found at www.bobhamp.com)