Seeking God First

Today, I’ll start with a verse:

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33

Twenty years ago, I didn’t know what I wanted with my life. I was very young, graduated from college at an early age of 19 with flying honors. I hold a degree that should have been a pre-law requirement but decided not to go to law school. Now what?

So I tried selling computers. Knocking from one houses to another trying to sell a computer hoping to get a commission. I tried working as a tele communicator on a pager company. I tried going back to college with another degree. Yeah, but none of them really worked. This verse came to me and next thing I knew I was down on my knees praying.

So instead of doing things myself. I decided to pray. Most of my prayers including a more permanent job were answered immediately. All Glory to God!  One prayer that did not come right away was my prayer for a home church. But when it came, it gave me opportunities to serve in the children’s ministry, and I didn’t stop since. During this moment when I was actively serving in the ministry, was a breakthrough. I would learn that I would like to do something about computers. Everything just started coming in like the heavens open up the blessings and I was there waiting for it. Off course, there were bumps along the way like getting fired from a job. But only because God wants to replace that job with a better one. Then computer programming became a career.

The Need to Belong

Several years later, I would get married and God will give us opportunity to live in the United States of America as immigrants. That was too many changes coming in all at the same time. I just got married, then moving to an entirely new country, new work environment, new foods (and new big servings!), new people to deal with, new friends, new church, and new weather — cold weather. And did I mention, I just got married?

With all these things coming in together there is that certain need to belong. But having remembered God’s promise in Matthew 6:33, I was confident that I already belong. I belong to the Family of God. No pressure to please other people in order to belong. Our loving Father pointed us to a church that will be our home church for the next 8 years. Awesome years!

Our loving Father would also lead us to both Christian and non-Christian friends which made our transition easy. Here are things I’ve learned throughout those 8 years when we needed to belong:

1. In everything we do, put God first. Pray everyday and every moment. We talk to him about the new things we have been learning. What we are scared of. What we are looking forward to. Our bloopers, our innocence, everything!
2. Read the Bible. E-V-E-R-Y-D-A-Y. No one could live a life our Father wants us to live without knowing what it is. Reading the Bible is like knowing our Father’s heart and how he wanted us to live like His son, Jesus. Knowing His heart makes decision-making easy.
3. When God blessed us with kids, we knew that we have to put our kids first. Make sure they get to know Jesus and their salvation. Oh, and the best thing, because of our earnest prayer to send friends to us, our Father did really send us friends in so many ways. Some even come in like an angel! We didn’t have to find them, they found us! That is God’s grace in full.
4. Start with your home, and not in someone else home. Instead of looking someone that would invite us, we strengthen our faith. Instead of going crazy trying to win everyone’s approval, win God’s approval first. People would certainly start noticing the difference in you. Then, they would start inviting you to their homes. I remember spending the afternoon with my husband playing in the field every single weekend. It’s a pure joy.
5. Stop social media. Yes, everyone doesn’t need to know what is happening in your life. Taking pictures for a moment that you wanted to savor just to have a facebook post, kills the moment. I still don’t understand why someone would like to post a lengthy Happy Birthday message to their spouse on facebook. Oh, I don’t understand more why a husband and a wife would talk to each other on facebook while everyone is reading. That’s how busy the world is! My thoughts are greetings to once spouse is an intimate one. Write it on a card and give it to him. So that he could keep it as one of his treasures. Or pray together and have that moment together where no one would know. It’s more true.

My friend, if we all put God first in our lives, seeking Him everyday, we don’t have to stressed out. He gave us freewill so that we could choose our battle. So choose wisely and bravely.

Today, I’ll end with the same verse that I begun with:

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33

..and a prayer.

“Father we praise and worship you! We thank you for today that we learned about seeking your kingdom first and your righteousness. Please help us to resist temptation and have your words in my heart so that we would have a light into our path. In Jesus name, Amen.”