Ready, Aim,...? Seek First His Kingdom

Matthew 6:33

Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

The Problem:

People admire and respect others who set goals for themselves. They are said to have ambition. There’s nothing wrong with setting an objective, whether it's a bullseye, a deadline, or a diploma. Goals help define our purpose and sharpen our focus on accomplishing them. Aspiring to become someone of substance concentrates our conviction.

Emotionally, it raises our current level of prestige, if only in our minds. Are we positive this is the correct goal to set? Am I on the right path? It’s like Alice asking the Cheshire Cat when confronted with a forked road: “Which road do I take?” Cheshire questioned back, “Where are you going?” “I don’t know,” answered Alice. “Well, it doesn’t matter then, does it?” Wow! Feline wisdom! 

Nevertheless, some of us confidently forge ahead with the journey toward a goal. We imagine we hold an exact map that leads us straight to our predestined future. But be warned! An unmarked detour or a mechanical difficulty might soon have us going through the “bad” part of town. We did nothing wrong/ these things were out of our control. We now encounter dimly lit streets, traveling down roads littered with potholes.

News Flash: No matter how precisely your goals are set, there will be surprises; some pleasant, but more often… “Whoa. I didn’t see that coming!” If we “bottom out” over enough of these potholes, our dreams become nightmares, and our goals are abandoned as worthless childish ambitions.

Some of us choose to leave everything to chance. We argue: “I haven’t made up my mind yet. I’m still enjoying my extended adolescence at Mom and Dad’s house (at 43!).” The decision they have made is a non-decision! “Why take a chance of making the wrong choice? It’s not worth it. I’m very comfortable sitting in my status quo recliner.”

Still others adopt the “Ready, fire, aim” approach. They don’t fine-tune their compasses to anything too precise. They feel they might miss an opportunity. They cast a wide net and wish something gets caught up in it. But King Solomon disagrees. “The soul of a sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” (Proverbs 13:4)

Let's face it. Not all our options are written clearly for us. There are too many choices, a wilderness of paths where a wrong turn could lead to ruin, for our own lives and the lives entwined with ours. We watch others and see what looks like happiness, what seems like a target perfectly struck, a goal met with ease and grace. But is the joy genuine? Is the peace we perceive truly there? We can only assume; we will never truly know.

And so, the world outside fades, and the question turns inward, echoing in the soul: What about me? In this vast landscape of maybes, which way am I to go? At which target must I aim?

The Promise:

Funny, you should ask! Because of His flawless sequencing system, God tells us that we can make plans, set goals, and aim at targets. Do all those other things to your heart’s content. But do them all afterward. First, search for His kingdom. That should be everyone’s primary goal. Use every exploratory skill in God’s Word to uncover and discover His righteousness.

YouTube, Google, Alexa, and Siri all have outstanding responses to the world’s questions. Make sure you fact-check before step outside your door. But the digital world doesn’t hold the answers for your salvation. Spend your energy while you’re young and go on a treasure hunt that will reap unimaginable wealth. If too many birthdays have passed, start today.

Goal #1: Become a consummate thrill seeker and search for His will in your life. Let’s make this easy. Look for an expert guide for your expedition, One who has gone before and knows the way to the kingdom. Jesus Christ not only knows the way, but He is also the Way! He even presents a perfect example of righteousness to us: Himself! His Father’s book even has a set of instructions on how to reach our goal, to hit our target/and it’s written in every language for all men everywhere. He gives us a peek at Paradise and what we’ll receive once we arrive. There’s no better travel guide than Jesus. We should choose to make our reservations through Him and His Father’s agency: Heirs to the Kingdom, LLC! When we reach our destination, He’ll be there waiting for us in Paradise. All the details are written on the color brochure in “The Finer Print.”

Matthew 6:33

Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”