First Things First

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,

and all these things will be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

Coffee and quiet. Those are the first things I need every morning. Believe me, it’s not pretty if I don’t get a little of both before the rest of the family wakes up. The whole day is thrown off if it’s not started right.

Of course it’s neither the coffee nor the quiet that gets me going in the morning. It’s the time spent seeking the kingdom of God. Just by making an attempt to meet him in the pre-dawn stillness, he blesses me with “all these things.”

Jesus never said, “find the kingdom of God.” He simply said, “seek it.” There are many mornings when I haven’t found anything at all. I can barely keep my eyes open and my thoughts focused on his word. But he blesses my intentions nonetheless and adds patience, love, joy, and countless other gifts to my day.