Where Do We Turn First?

I thank God for my life here in America where I'm surrounded by conveniences at my fingertips. Here in Chandler, Arizona, there are restaurants galore, shops of every kind, Urgent Care places, gas stations and Super Walmarts only minutes away in any direction. I am very, very blessed. Unfortunately, I'm so blessed that it's a little too easy to get comfortable with the blessings and forget the Blesser; to be rich in this world and not rich toward God.

Can I get an Amen?

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It's easy to turn to aspirin for a headache rather than to the Great Physician, isn't it? Television, web surfing or entertainment is often more enticing than prayer. And too many of us look to the government for assistance instead of going to our Jehovah Jireh - "The Lord Our Provider." In other words we go everywhere else first. We only go to God as a last resort when everything else fails. Too bad for us!

Does the Bible say anything about this? Let's take a look...

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. (Psalms 34:10)

Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. (Psalms 105:4)

Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
(Proverbs 28:5)

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  (Matthew 6:30-33)

As believers, seeking the Lord first should be a hallmark of our lives. We should turn to Jesus Christ for direction, wisdom, healing, etc., on a regular basis. He should be our first resource – not our last resort!

People who regularly seek the Lord and his word walk with peace and confidence that others don't have. They have a relationship with their Maker; they are friends - not mere acquaintances. In times of trouble or peace they are confident because Christ is their Rock and Fortress. They seek God first in everything.

Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. (Psalms 105:3)

Remember Asa king of Judah? He was one of the few godly Kings but even this great leader went elsewhere instead of seeking the Lord toward the end of his life...

And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
(2 Chronicles 16:7-9, 12)

Rather than finding his healing, King Asa died shortly thereafter.

How must God feel when we look everywhere else but him for answers? How often do we settle for second or third best solutions, when all the while our Savior has just what we need? All too often we have not because we asked not.

Have you seen any one of the gazillion TV commercials for prescription drugs? They spend 15 seconds on the symptoms and how XYZiallis will help, followed by 45 seconds of risks and side effects (which may include death). But consider what the Bible says...    The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22)

Now that's a warning label we can all live with!

Maybe it's time we turn our attention back to the Lord and seek him first. Whether we need a job, need healing, need direction, need a miracle in our marriages, need wisdom on how to respond to a difficult situation he has the answers! Even if he tells us what we don't want to hear, his ways are better than man's ways and we'd do well to heed his advice. If we will do what he says, we will be blessed!

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29)