A New Way of Life

During one of my domestic trips in the United States, I found a Christian coloring book entitled The Promises of God. I was quickly attracted to it, so I bought it with a pack of crayons but did not start coloring until after arriving back in Africa.

The first page in the book is what inspired the verse above and this devotional thought. I had time to meditate on the scripture as I colored.

These words were spoken by Jesus in His sermon on the mount.

It stems from a discussion in which Jesus told His listeners not to worry about what they were going to eat or wear or where they would sleep but, rather, to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first, and their needs would be met.

This sounds simple, but on closer look, here is what I discovered.

First, we are asked to seek. Whatever answer we want from God will not simply fall from the sky. We must do as Jesus said and seek Him.

Remember the story of the woman who lost her coin? Luke 15:8 describes the care she took to find the coin—she searched diligently.

Second, we need to get our priorities right.

Work, friends, family, money, and recognition have their place, but they should never be our top priority. When we seek God first, our priorities realign in a way that honors God and those we love. And the third lesson I learned from this verse is that when our focus is on the kingdom of God, our behavior changes. We seek to pursue and fulfill God’s will before thinking of our own needs first. A righteous lifestyle that consists of good morals and speech becomes ours. As I finished coloring this picture, I had a new understanding and appreciation of this verse. Rather than a mere promise to claim, I have learned it is a principle to follow, a priority to set right, an object to keep in focus, and a lifestyle to practice.

Simply put—it describes a way of life. How often has God wanted to do great things for you and me, but due to our neglect in following these lessons, we have been found wanting? Today, we have the opportunity to start anew.

Will we heed Jesus’ advice? Dear Lord, please help us to keep our eyes on You, to seek You first and always. Redirect our focus, and may we follow only You.

Amen.

Tabitha Kra