Me or Christ?

I guess I’m a fanatic, probably have lost touch with reality, don’t have a clue about the world in which we live. So be it. If you want to write me off and call me irrelevant, I can live with that as well. However, I just don’t understand how so many children of God have so little to do with their Father, and think of themselves as pleasing to Him.

There is this verse of Scripture that reminds me of what being a child of God demands, and yes, I have no qualms using the term demand. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). Almost everyone takes comfort in the last part of this verse, but do we really consider the first part of this verse?

“Oh, come on, it’s a holiday, do you really expect us to be at church with a three day weekend? Or come back on Sunday night? Get a life!” I do have a life, thank you, and it’s the one my heavenly Father offers me. When I came in obedience to His will and was immersed so that my sins could be forgiven, I entered a covenant relationship with God, I committed my life to Him, I said by that act of submission that nothing would come before Him, that He would be Lord of my life (1 Pet. 3:15). I don’t see in the words “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” the word “except for…” Yet how often is it we say by our actions, “Except for holidays, except for company, except for work, except for play, except, except, except.”

I believe far too many practice a convenient Christianity. Oh yes, we want God to always be there for us, but we get to pick and choose when we take God seriously in our lives. How do we explain what it means to be crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20), to live is Christ (Phil. 1:21), Christ is life (Col. 3:4), and so many other exhortations? In reality, Jesus isn’t Lord of one’s life; the individual is.

Now, why am I saying this? Is there anything easier for us to do than not forsaking our assembling together (Heb. 10:25)? Yet we can’t seem to muster the commitment to do what is easiest anymore. Think about this. There are 168 hours in a week. Let’s take out 8 hours a day for sleep and another 8 hours a day for work. That leaves 56 hours. To attend Sunday Bible class, worship twice on Sunday, and Wednesday Bible class, you have used up 7% of your remaining time, which leaves you 93% for other activities. Tell me again how unreasonable it is to do this.

We want to spend eternity with God, but don’t want to spend any time with Him now. If we can’t find the time to do the easiest for God, what about the rest? Do you share the gospel with others, with your family? Are you committed to personal holiness? To having the mind of Christ? God is not, must not, be a casual acquaintance; He is life!

So, let’s be honest. Do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness only when it’s convenient, or as an integral and vital part of life you cannot do without? “It’s a holiday!” “Seek first the kingdom of God.” It’s summer! “Seek first the kingdom of God.” “It’s whatever we want to do!!” “Seek first the kingdom of God.”

I’m not saying you can’t have a vacation, or be involved in various aspects of life. I just wonder why they always come in conflict and take priority over the kingdom of God? Maybe I am nuts and out of touch with life today. But I can’t get the image of my Jesus suffering on the cross for my sins out of my head or heart. Perhaps the problem is there are too many Christians who don’t have it in theirs. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). Who is it we really live for?


Robert Johnson