Jun 4, 2009
Seeking First God’s Kingdom: Everything’s on the Table
It’s never all that comfortable to live by faith, putting service of God’s Kingdom ahead of accumulating wealth. I’m not sure how well we’re doing at it, but we’re giving it a go. I’ve been asking the Lord lately about what it means to seek first the Kingdom of God.
One phrase that helps me get my little brain around such a huge idea is: “Everything is on the table.” I can’t hold anything back from God, be such things personal goals or physical possessions.
We are in a time of transition, looking to move from Vermont to Storrs, Connecticut so my wife can attend the University of Connecticut. After accumulating items for living in a house, we’re cutting back so we can fit into an apartment again. Many of these things are yard sale pick-ups that will be donated or sold for a few bucks.
However, as we move possessions into the garage in preparation for moving day or donation, I’ve been learning how easy it is to get along with less. I can’t even remember many of the items we’ve given away or sold. Even my favorite tie from a few years ago, given away to a friend, doesn’t merit a memory. It’s just gone.
As I give away clothing and books and sell book shelves and other household items, I feel I have a greater sense of seeking first God’s Kingdom. I’m removing items from my life that may get in the way of serving God—lest I refuse to take this next step because I require a big enough house to store all of our possessions, forcing me to find a high-paying job that may take me away from God’s calling to be a writer and speaker.
Seeking first God’s Kingdom seems to have something to do with never holding back from God. Everything is on the table: our house, our location, our possessions.
Of course the one exception to this rule would be our rabbits. Our rabbits will never be on the table…
Downsizing is awesome and biblical, Ed. You might be interested in Small Footprint, Big Handprint by Tri Robinson … here’s a short video about it … http://vimeo.com/2816172
I can relate to this quite a bit! The last time I moved, in 2005, I had fantasies about having a dumpster in my driveway. For a variety of reasons, due to big things happening in my life, I really wanted to purge. I know that throwing things out isn’t the responsible way to go about it (and that’s not what ended up happening), but the dumpster I daydreamed about became a metaphor for me–of spiritual as well as physical simplifying, paring down to what matters most.
Good luck with your downsizing, and with your move! God will bless it.
Thanks Jason and Kristin. It’s a comfort to know I’m passing along well-trodden ground here!