What is Your most important Pursuit?

Depending on who you ask—this questions is met with a variety of answers. In order to be as productive as possible, “getting-things-done-gurus” tell us that having a vision and methodically executing it is what should drive us. All that is well and good and deserves our consideration—but what if we don’t really know what or who the aim of your pursuit is to be.

I prefer to consider what Jesus, the son of the living God, and the smartest man in the universe has to say about my life’s direction and aim. Although many might not agree with me, I have found that honest searchers will find him, his message, and ways most compelling, logical, and coherent.

What exactly should be our first pursuit according to Jesus? The prayer that he taught his disciples gives us a clue. After addressing God with honor and respect, we are encouraged to pray that …”His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” He wants us to seek God’s kingdom first. (Matthew 6:33)  To be sure, he knows very well that our natural tendency is to be worried about what we will eat, drink, and wear, and about what we have, don’t have, or want to have. However, Jesus assures us that as we make the search for His kingdom our first aim, all these other needed things, will be given to us. He backs up this promise by showing how he cares for the rest of his creation.

What then is the Kingdom of God? Dallas Willard states it like this: “It is the ‘range of God’s effective will.’”

With the coming of Jesus, the kingdom bringer, it has become available for us. The entrance requirement is to repent and to be born again. This is the gift of eternal life received through Jesus—but it is not the end of our quest! As his followers, his disciples, we are to continue to seek it. Only in seeking are we pulled out of ourselves. Seeking allows us to grow and to change and to become bearers of the kingdom to others. Let’s seek His Kingdom and righteousness together, today, in our lives, circumstances, and community.