What Preoccupies You?

(2 Minute Read. 7Feb2024)

What do you think are the top two concerns that preoccupy most people most of the time?

What dominates commercials?
What often dominates conversations?
What dominates retail establishments?

Look at your local mall. Over 90% of the retail establishments in a mall can be placed in one of two categories.

What are these top two preoccupations?

I think they are clothes and food.

Were people like this in Bible days? Absolutely! Two thousand years ago Jesus of Nazareth identified these very same obsessions!

Christ the Lord recognized that precisely these two concerns dominated the attention of people of His day. What was His response?

It is fascinating that Jesus specifically instructed people to NOT be concerned about these two issues:
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Matthew 6:25-32)

So what should absorb our focus? What should occupy our attention instead of food and clothing? Jesus instructed us to focus on something else entirely, something completely unrelated to food and clothes. He said everything else like food and clothes would then be taken care of. This is His succinct counsel:
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

We are to pursue with single-minded absorption the kingdom of God. We are to focus on living righteously and on promoting the rule and reign of God on earth.

This is the thrust of the prayer template Jesus gave us which begins,
“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.'” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Consciousness of and delight in and adherence to God’s awesome sovereign authority over all should continually fill our heads and hearts. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

So what preoccupies you? Is it food, or clothing, or some temporal thing? Or is it righteousness and the kingdom of God?

Questions to Ponder

1. What practical steps can you take to implement Jesus’ instruction, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33)?
2. What can you do to help other followers of Jesus to implement this instruction?
3. What other preoccupations tend to displace seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 A.D.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

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