Pastor Davis' Weblog
Got Me Thinking
GOT ME TO THINKING
Soon we will offer an additional worship service. On Monday, April 14, our 6:33 Service begins. The service will be held in the Fellowship Center and will feature a different format from our Sunday services. While we will maintain the traditional “Lutheran parts” (see if you can identify them!) of a service, the service will be informal in character and “contemporary” in music.
The designation “6:33” comes from Matthew 6:33, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” We hope that this additional service will help some of our families, especially those with big weekend time commitments, keep our God’s kingdom the priority in their lives.
But it got me to thinking (and examining!), “What does it mean to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness?”
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THINKING ABOUT THE END
As you start this, make sure you read to the end. It will give you something to think about!
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THINKING ABOUT DAILY SCHEDULE
What does it mean to seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God on a day to day basis?
Does it mean that Jesus should be the first thing we think about every day? And what if he isn’t? How far into the day do we go before we have our “first God thought?”
Does it mean that Jesus should be the foremost thing we think about every day? How much is Jesus on our mind? More than the news of the day? More than the tasks and responsibilities of the day?
In what way does my “to do” list reflect the priority of God’s kingdom and righteousness?
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THINKING ABOUT FINANCES
Someone has said, probably a pastor somewhere, show me a person’s check book (or credit card statement), and I’ll tell you what he believes.
What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first in a financial way?
How is our hope more rooted in God’s provision than in our ability and effort? How is our peace more rooted in being part of God’s kingdom than in getting a bigger chunk of a worldly kingdom?
Do we really think, I mean really think, that if God is first and foremost in our life, our finances will work out?
And our offerings… how do they reflect what/whose Kingdom is first in our lives?
And our other money… how does what we do with all the money that we don’t put into a church envelop reflect what/whose kingdom is first in our lives?
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THINKING ABOUT FAME/RECOGNITION
We want people to think well of us. We want people to think well of our spouse and our children and our grandchildren and so on. There is a desire within each to gain some measure of fame or acclaim.
What about our God? How do we bring a measure of fame or acclaim to him? How or where do we sing, literally and figuratively, his praise? Is his name the first one we want “to brag on?”
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THINKING ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS
The 6:33 passage says, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”
What does it mean to have God’s form of righteousness the priority in our lives? What does it mean that “God’s way of looking at things” (isn’t that what “his righteousness” is?) is our way?
Or do we let the world’s way be the foremost shaper of our behavior? Do we let our friend’s way be the foremost shaper of our behavior? Do we let our own way be the foremost shaper of our behavior? Or is God’s way the first and foremost shaper of our behavior?
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THINKING ABOUT THE PROMISE (hope you have read to the end)
Having God and his ways as the priority in our life may be difficult, but there is no better approach in life!
God gives great promises to his people. Our whole Easter celebration is about promises of God: he promises to forgive your sins and give you heaven… all in Jesus, crucified and raised—promises fulfilled.
God gives great promises to his people. He promises, “…and all these things will be added to you!” To have God’s kingdom and righteousness as life’s priority positions us to receive great blessings from him. To not have them first is to our detriment, not his.
When first things are first in our lives, our life will be first rate! God promises! Something to think about!
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ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC
Let’s keep Haslett Middle School’s staff and students in our prayers. Let’s also pray for those who caused all the destruction.