Advent reminds us of God fulfilling His plan to connect with lost mankind. The Old Testament documented multiple promises that a Messiah would come to rescue mankind from their bondage to sin and its effects on the world – Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14, and Matthew 1:23, to name a few. Our Creator reassured generations that they were not forgotten, that salvation would arrive in God’s appointed time.
In His sermon on the mount (Matthew 6:25-34), Jesus turned the responsibility back to His listeners, reminding them to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (verse 33) and find all that they would need for life provided by a gracious heavenly Father.
Most of us believe we are responsible for doing something, going somewhere, or participating in a particular activity to find God’s Kingdom. This leads to a frantic search for meaning, guidance, and connection to heaven through our personal efforts, something WE do to earn God’s love and approval. We even begin to include others in our efforts, resulting in judgment when they fail to meet the criteria we have set for ourselves and — by extension — them.
Scripture clearly records Jesus’ words about the path to provision from His Father: We are to seek God’s Kingdom — both eternally in heaven and obediently fulfilling His will here on earth — above all else to find our needs completely met.
So how can we actively seek God’s Kingdom in the “here and now”? One author suggests that finding God’s will for us involves becoming more like Jesus (1 John 2:3-6). This is done as we study His Word, modeling our behaviors and thoughts after Christ.
“Seek out God. Do not seek out where He dwells.” The unknown author of this advice recommends that Christians look for and serve God in the mundane details of everyday life. Wash the dishes — without prompting. Serve your family — with love. Reach out to your neighbors — with kindness. Complete your job — with goodwill.
Life is filled with missions available to us as God’s people. You are already standing in the Kingdom of God — now serve.
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