Matthew 6:33-34 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)

Several years ago after shopping in a Christian book store, I returned home to find a holiday gift included in the bag with my purchase. The gift was an inspirational book entitled "101 Resolutions for the New Year". Although this little gift had a retail value of only ninety-nine cents, it is truly priceless in terms of its spiritual content, because it is based on the promises of God. For example, each page begins with a commitment such as "I won't worry about tomorrow", followed by a Scripture verse. To refresh my memory, I like to go back and reread all 101 resolutions, particularly at the start of each new year.

Today's passage in Matthew appears right underneath resolution 11, which says, "I won't worry about tomorrow." Personally, I think that this is one of the hardest changes for most people to make. Yet, as many times as I have read the same Scripture, this time I was struck by verse 33: the key to a worry-free life. Isn't it wonderful to know that before Jesus instructs us not to worry, He has already provided the solution to our troubles! While the key is to seek first His kingdom, have you ever thought about what this truly means?

Contemplating the answer, I am reminded that Jesus is not only our Saviour, but also our King. Thus, when we crown the Lord as King of our lives, we should have no worries, because His kingdom operates on the power and authority of His divine Word, a system far superior to that of this world. Hence, let us begin the new year by allowing Christ to reign in our hearts, trusting that He will always provide the best for us. Then we will experience kingdom living in the here and now.

Prayer: O Lord, eternal King, may our hearts be Your throne, and Your kingdom be the focus of our lives. Help us to begin the coming new year by exalting Your name above all else, as we seek to do Your will. In Jesus' holy name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Lori Ciccanti <dlalsina@mchsi.com>
Ocean View, Delaware, USA
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