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Thought for the Week
I believe in the power of words to change people’s lives. Jesus’ words, more than anyone else’s, have changed the way I think, speak and live. For example, after referring to the constant worries that hover over people who neither know nor trust God, Jesus tells his followers to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). I pray these words at the start and close of every day. From them I’ve learned:
- Seek first means “Start here.” Why? Because if we get the order right, everything else will follow. And that order begins with Who is in control.
- The kingdom of God is Jesus’ term for anywhere God’s rule is uncontested—heaven for those who love him, hell for those who don’t.* For me, seeking his kingdom means letting him reign over every aspect of my life, and doing all I can to further that reign in the world around me.
- His righteousness. The very meaning of this phrase explains how “all these things will be added unto” us. To seek his righteousness means to set things right, to restore them to their proper position. Think of the vertical beam of a cross. If you set it upright, then…
All these things, the horizontal beam (our needs, hopes, relationships) will assume their correct positions, as well. The original Greek reads closer to “added” than given, because this is not a reward for good behavior, it’s the result of things being in their proper order (seeking first his kingdom).
Again and again, Jesus tells us that our world is in chaos because we are trying to follow a different order than the one established by its Creator. If you snap a picture with your phone, and then aim it, you will not get the picture you desired, because you didn’t follow the order it was designed for. That’s why Jesus admonishes us to…
Start here!
*Hell may not be a separate “place,” by the way, but a fractured reality. One imposed not by God, but by those who reject the very Source of love, joy, peace, and truth.
Beautiful blog. Thanks.
My privilege, Bob.
It is our honor to read you blog.
Amen, and Happy Monday. Here’s to another week of getting up after we fall down. 🙂
When we seek His kingdom first, things that others are running after will be running after us. ☺
Amen!
Great words. I also like your idea on “hell.”
Thanks, Jeff.
I would like to understand more about hell being a fractured reality. Have you written about this is the past?
Hi Dana, sorry, I haven’t written anything specifically devoted to the subject, just isolated comments like the one above. But I have thought about it. Quite a bit. My conjecture is based on various biblical passages: 1) that God’s word is the source of everything we have and are (Deuteronomy 8:3, Acts 17:28), and is the lamp/light by which those who know him see (Psalm 119:105); 2) that God is the source of all real love (Greek “agape” – 1 John 4:7-8), from which lesser human love is but a temporal fragment; 3) and that to know him is to have eternal life (John 17:3), from which (like agape love) all lesser life is but a temporal fragment.
In other words, heaven is the presence of God, from whom all life, love and reality derive. Therefore, the rejection of God’s Spirit (Matthew 12:31), of his living presence, is to choose “outer darkness” (Matthew 22:13), a state devoid of light, love and any meaningful sense of reality, to choose “a fractured reality.”
Got kind of carried away, didn’t I? Ah, well, maybe a few others will find these thoughts worth reading.
I don’t think you got carried away because the scriptures you refered to lead us to the understanding that we as Christians need. Afterall, God said if you love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15 When we listen and obey blessings come into our lives from our Fathers hand, Amen!
Thank you, Mitch, and I apologize for my late reply, I have been away from my computer! I appreciate all your references and taking the time to show your thought process on this. I have to admit, I try NOT to contemplate being separated from God for all eternity, so your post gave me much to ponder AND made me all the more thankful for the price Jesus paid for me! Thanks again Mitch!
Wise response, Dana!
C. S. Lewis’s book “The Great Divorce” shows this so well. People from hell come to visit heaven, where they could stay if they choose to, but because of the things they would have to “give up” (like self-worship), they choose to go back to where they can remain in their warped mindset.
Indeed, Jack always cuts to the heart of the matter.
I liked your interpretation of Matthew 6:33. Thank you, Mitch.
My pleasure, Nancy.
Like you Mitch reading the word of God and spending time in his presense has changed the way I think, conduct myself and live. In fact the more I get to know the Lord Jesus the more I want to spend more time with Him. Very good scripture that you blogged today, thank you!
My privilege, Cora.
A fractured reality—gives one pause.
Wonderful thoughts, Mitch!
Thank you, Miriam.
You’re welcome, Mitch.
Hii
Hello.
Hello
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
READY, SET, GO FORTH! !
Honored, Jonathan.
I love it! Thanks for these important thoughts, Mitch. I especially appreciated your definition of hell. When pondering those realities I like to think of heaven as “eternal communion with God,” and hell as, “eternal separation from God.” In that sense, I can’t imagine too many things worse.
Indeed. Thanks, Russell.