I love theology because it gets to the root of things quickly. Take, for example, the central Christian claim: Jesus is Lord. This simple confession is the heartfelt testimony of every follower of Christ and local church serving as an outpost of the Kingdom of God. We who believe in Jesus as Lord confess him as the king of all, the blessed controller of all things. He alone deserves both our allegiance and commitment in every area of our lives. He told us to seek his kingdom first with no rivals in terms of personal well-being or family or nation. No enterprise or person must compete with this supreme, focused love for him and his rule in our lives. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6.33, ESV). The provision he promises to meet our need is certain, but the present priority to God’s kingdom means we must offer our first and best to him as our king alongside the righteousness that accompanies his rule. He promises supply and care but not ease and absence of trial.
We must seek the kingdom now during seasons like these today, i.e., living in the Covid-19 pandemic, racial unrest, political upheaval, and economic downturn. Yes, we can and must strive to live our lives today according to the king’s priorities—loving our God and our neighbors with generosity and joy, remaining unbowed in the face of our dark and unsettled times. Who among us has not been genuinely troubled at the problems faced today? Seeking his kingdom does not mean we view these days through “rose-colored glasses;” we should not be either pollyannish or dismissive of what is happening around us. However, it does mean that we learn to joyfully confess him as Lord, model his kingdom righteousness in our conduct and relationships, and strive to represent him before our friends, families, and associates.
I have always believed that the most radical thing we can do as 21st-century followers of Christ is simply to confess Jesus as Lord and seek his kingdom righteousness now in all that we say and do. No one can discount this or explain it away. To acknowledge Jesus’ authority as supreme and to seek his kingdom rule now in every aspect of our lives is both encouraging and revolutionary. Truly, I seriously wonder what the impact would be within our own personal worlds if we honestly affirmed Christ as king, and sought to display his will in our speech, conduct, and our relationships today, right where we are. We need only to seek the kingdom now.