OUT OF ORDER
First Things First: Restoring Divine Order in Your Life
There's something about the turning of a new year that stirs something deep within us. The parking lots at gyms overflow on January 1st, only to empty out by mid-January. We make resolutions, set goals, and promise ourselves that this year will be different. But where does this impulse come from? Why do we feel this universal pull toward renewal and improvement?
The answer reaches back to the very beginning—to Genesis, where God created a world of perfect order. He took chaos and brought meaning, purpose, and structure to everything. The sun received the day shift, the moon took the night. Waters were separated, land was formed, and everything functioned exactly as it should. This wasn't just physical order; it was divine design.
But then came Genesis 3, and everything changed. Order was broken. And ever since, humanity has been trying to get back to that place of wholeness, that sense that everything is as it should be. This isn't about marketing or social media trends—it's written into our DNA by a Creator who knew we would need a way back to Him.
The Problem of Misplaced Priorities
The real issue we face isn't always about our diets, our exercise routines, or our career goals. The fundamental problem is that our priorities are out of order. And when things are out of order, we don't get the outcomes we desire, no matter how hard we work.
Matthew 6:31-33 addresses this directly: "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Notice the sequence: seek FIRST His kingdom. Not second, not third, not after you've handled everything else. First. Because order determines outcome.
What you seek first shapes what you experience most. If you're constantly worried, stressed, unable to sleep, it's likely because what you're chasing has consumed you. Spiritual disorder always leads to relational and emotional drift. When our spiritual lives are out of order, everything else follows suit.
Sin as Reordered Trust
Here's a profound truth: sin isn't primarily rebellion against God. The first sin was actually reordering trust. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve didn't stop believing in God—they simply started trusting something else before Him. They trusted their own judgment, their own desires, their own assessment of what was good for them.
We do the same thing every day. We trust our jobs more than we trust God's provision. We trust our own plans more than God's direction. We trust our understanding more than His wisdom. The enemy doesn't need to make us stop believing in God; he just needs to get us to put something—anything—before God.
This reordering of trust is why we find ourselves anxious, exhausted, and unfulfilled even when we're working harder than ever. We've been taking the prescription, but we've been doing it out of order. The medicine won't work if you don't follow the instructions.
Kingdom Before Righteousness
It's significant that the passage says "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness"—in that order. Kingdom comes before righteousness. Why? Because when we prioritize the kingdom, we approach life with love, grace, and mercy. We remember that transformation takes time, that people matter more than being right, that walking with others is more important than judging them.
When righteousness comes first, we become self-righteous and judgmental. We forget about the kingdom work of loving people, showing grace, and walking alongside those who are struggling. The order matters.
Seeking as a Daily Decision
Seeking God isn't accidental, emotional, or occasional—it's a daily alignment. The kingdom isn't found by accidentally bumping into God. It requires intentional, daily pursuit.
This means before grabbing your phone in the morning, pray. Before checking your schedule, check the scriptures. Before worrying about your calendar, engage with the Word of God. Seeking is deciding who gets first say in your life.
Pagans run after things. Kingdom people seek first the King.
Running is reactive; seeking is intentional. When you're running, you're chasing, scrambling, reacting to circumstances. When you're seeking, you're intentionally aligning yourself with God's purposes and trusting His provision.
The Promise of Provision
Here's the good news: God knows what you need. The passage explicitly states this. When God is primary, He promises provision, clarity, and direction for the rest of your life.
Provision isn't earned—it's promised. When you put God first, He begins to add things to your life. He opens doors, heals your mind, relieves your anxiety, and removes depression. Why? Because there's an enemy who never sleeps, constantly competing for first place in your life. He doesn't need you to sin; he just needs God to be out of order in your priorities.
But when you put God first, He goes before you. He sets up blockers so the enemy can't get a foothold in your house, marriage, mind, or spirit.
What God Knows You Need
Often, what we think we need and what God knows we need are vastly different. We have our plans, our preferences, our vision for how life should look. But Jesus doesn't say, "Figure it all out." He says, "Put me first, and I'll handle the rest."
In Genesis, humanity said, "I'll decide what's good for me." In Matthew, Jesus says, "Let me show you what's good for you."
The gospel isn't God asking for more effort. It's God restoring order. That's why Jesus came, why He died, and why He offers us new life.
Restoring Order Today
If your life feels chaotic, out of control, or stuck in cycles you can't break, today is your opportunity to restore order. Not through sheer willpower or New Year's resolutions, but by putting first things first.
Make God the priority. Seek His kingdom first. Trust that He knows what you need. And watch as everything else begins to fall into place—not because you worked harder, but because you got your priorities in order.
Tomorrow isn't promised. Today is the day to reorder your life. It's not about your diet or your exercise routine—it's about putting God at the center, at the head, where He belongs. When you seek His kingdom first, you begin to experience wonders, miracles, and doors opening that you never would have expected.
First things first. That's where transformation begins.
The answer reaches back to the very beginning—to Genesis, where God created a world of perfect order. He took chaos and brought meaning, purpose, and structure to everything. The sun received the day shift, the moon took the night. Waters were separated, land was formed, and everything functioned exactly as it should. This wasn't just physical order; it was divine design.
But then came Genesis 3, and everything changed. Order was broken. And ever since, humanity has been trying to get back to that place of wholeness, that sense that everything is as it should be. This isn't about marketing or social media trends—it's written into our DNA by a Creator who knew we would need a way back to Him.
The Problem of Misplaced Priorities
The real issue we face isn't always about our diets, our exercise routines, or our career goals. The fundamental problem is that our priorities are out of order. And when things are out of order, we don't get the outcomes we desire, no matter how hard we work.
Matthew 6:31-33 addresses this directly: "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Notice the sequence: seek FIRST His kingdom. Not second, not third, not after you've handled everything else. First. Because order determines outcome.
What you seek first shapes what you experience most. If you're constantly worried, stressed, unable to sleep, it's likely because what you're chasing has consumed you. Spiritual disorder always leads to relational and emotional drift. When our spiritual lives are out of order, everything else follows suit.
Sin as Reordered Trust
Here's a profound truth: sin isn't primarily rebellion against God. The first sin was actually reordering trust. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve didn't stop believing in God—they simply started trusting something else before Him. They trusted their own judgment, their own desires, their own assessment of what was good for them.
We do the same thing every day. We trust our jobs more than we trust God's provision. We trust our own plans more than God's direction. We trust our understanding more than His wisdom. The enemy doesn't need to make us stop believing in God; he just needs to get us to put something—anything—before God.
This reordering of trust is why we find ourselves anxious, exhausted, and unfulfilled even when we're working harder than ever. We've been taking the prescription, but we've been doing it out of order. The medicine won't work if you don't follow the instructions.
Kingdom Before Righteousness
It's significant that the passage says "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness"—in that order. Kingdom comes before righteousness. Why? Because when we prioritize the kingdom, we approach life with love, grace, and mercy. We remember that transformation takes time, that people matter more than being right, that walking with others is more important than judging them.
When righteousness comes first, we become self-righteous and judgmental. We forget about the kingdom work of loving people, showing grace, and walking alongside those who are struggling. The order matters.
Seeking as a Daily Decision
Seeking God isn't accidental, emotional, or occasional—it's a daily alignment. The kingdom isn't found by accidentally bumping into God. It requires intentional, daily pursuit.
This means before grabbing your phone in the morning, pray. Before checking your schedule, check the scriptures. Before worrying about your calendar, engage with the Word of God. Seeking is deciding who gets first say in your life.
Pagans run after things. Kingdom people seek first the King.
Running is reactive; seeking is intentional. When you're running, you're chasing, scrambling, reacting to circumstances. When you're seeking, you're intentionally aligning yourself with God's purposes and trusting His provision.
The Promise of Provision
Here's the good news: God knows what you need. The passage explicitly states this. When God is primary, He promises provision, clarity, and direction for the rest of your life.
Provision isn't earned—it's promised. When you put God first, He begins to add things to your life. He opens doors, heals your mind, relieves your anxiety, and removes depression. Why? Because there's an enemy who never sleeps, constantly competing for first place in your life. He doesn't need you to sin; he just needs God to be out of order in your priorities.
But when you put God first, He goes before you. He sets up blockers so the enemy can't get a foothold in your house, marriage, mind, or spirit.
What God Knows You Need
Often, what we think we need and what God knows we need are vastly different. We have our plans, our preferences, our vision for how life should look. But Jesus doesn't say, "Figure it all out." He says, "Put me first, and I'll handle the rest."
In Genesis, humanity said, "I'll decide what's good for me." In Matthew, Jesus says, "Let me show you what's good for you."
The gospel isn't God asking for more effort. It's God restoring order. That's why Jesus came, why He died, and why He offers us new life.
Restoring Order Today
If your life feels chaotic, out of control, or stuck in cycles you can't break, today is your opportunity to restore order. Not through sheer willpower or New Year's resolutions, but by putting first things first.
Make God the priority. Seek His kingdom first. Trust that He knows what you need. And watch as everything else begins to fall into place—not because you worked harder, but because you got your priorities in order.
Tomorrow isn't promised. Today is the day to reorder your life. It's not about your diet or your exercise routine—it's about putting God at the center, at the head, where He belongs. When you seek His kingdom first, you begin to experience wonders, miracles, and doors opening that you never would have expected.
First things first. That's where transformation begins.
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