Oscar Robertson was a legendary basketball player in the 1960’s. He was the NBA’s prelude to Larry Bird in the 1980’s and Michael Jordan in the 1990’s. His nickname was “the Big O”.
Matthew 6:33 contains three superlatively Big O’s. Each is legendary in importance, sobering in meditation, and essential in application.
Obligation: “Seek”. Here is an action verb; nothing passive is found in this word. In Matthew’s gospel, it is employed in the most frantic and desperate of circumstances—the murderous Herod’s looking for the fugitive Christ child (2:13); a displaced unclean spirit wanting a home (12:43); a shepherd with a missing sheep (18:12); Jesus’ bloodthirsty enemies wanting to destroy Him (21:46); Judas’ keen eagerness for an opportune time to betray Jesus (26:16); the Sanhedrin’s zeal for false testimony against Jesus (26:59); the distraught women at Jesus’ empty tomb wanting to anoint His missing body (28:5).
This obligation is not frivolous or trite. Because of the tense employed, it is to be an unceasing activity: “Ever keep seeking…”
Order: “first”. Only one person can be first in a queue. Only one word can be first in a sentence. Only one thing can be prioritized and sought for first in your life. This obligation is to be pre-eminent.
Objects: “the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. The reign of God’s righteous will in your life corresponds precisely with Jesus’ sentiments in the model prayer when He taught, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Hungering and thirsting for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) is expressed by learning and living God’s written will—nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.
What BIG O’s!!
