But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
I open my eyes and automatically look at the ceiling to see the time. (We have a projection clock that shows the time and temperature.) That’s funny, I can’t see it. Maybe Bill turned it off. I glance over at the actual clock on his night stand. I notice that the projection piece that points upward is still in position which tells me that Bill has not touched it. Then I notice that the fan is not running either. (white noise)
I get up to turn on the light. We have no electricity! There is a storm outside which provides me with an immediate explanation. I leave the bedroom and go into the entryway where last night I prepared my desk for the inevitable leaks from the ceiling. The bucket I had placed on top of it now contains almost a full cup of water. Areas that I did not cover are wet. Not good for wood. I start to feel stress and anxiety.
I continue into the living room and see that a new leak has soaked the large comforter we had on the couch as well as two throw pillows. HELP!
I try calling Bill who is running an estate sale an hour away. No answer. I try three different times. On the fourth try, he responds. I blurt out everything. I am looking for sympathy and comfort. Didn’t get it. He is upset that the roof is leaking again but doesn’t want me to think he is going to shell out thousands to fix it. I hear the frustration and anger in his voice. We hang up. That went well.
I call SDG&E. Their recording tells me that the estimated time for getting the electricity back is 11 am. It is now 9 something. Great, that means I get to put in my contacts in semi-darkness! This is turning out to be a wonderful day!
What has this got to do with Jesus and putting the kingdom first? Everything! I am not a bible scholar, nor have I been a Christian all my life, (although in my heart it feels that way.) so when I attempt to interpret God’s word, it is me talking, not an expert. This is how I see it, coming from my Christian infancy. Seek God first – in everything you do, in your thoughts, in your actions, in how you interact with people. Start with God, every day.
Yesterday, when all of this happened, I remembered that biblical passage. I stopped for a moment and reflected on it. I gave in to God. I released the stress and anxiety, offering them to Him. He accepted. I began to feel peace replacing the stress. It was right after that I turned on the closet light (habit) and it came on! It was only 10 0’clock, not 11! Yay!
I had a shift in my attitude. I was suddenly okay with the issues at hand. Granted, they weren’t earth-shattering but rain coming into my house hits a nerve with me, left over from my Portland days when our house flooded three times in less than a year.
Put God first and let everything else fall where it may. Make Him more important in your life than anyone or anything else. He’s got this. He’s got you. It reminds me how my dad used to hold my back in the pool while teaching me to float. “I’ve got you,” he would say. Yeah, like that. God bless.