First Things First
Is God first place in your life? When you start your day, what do you do first? What is important in our lives is what will be first. What we think about, what we spend money on, and what we take time to do.
Recently I was listening to a podcast that caused me to do a word study of the word “first.” It is used well over 500 times in the Bible, but my focus was on when we are commanded to do or put something “first” in our lives.
What or who do we love FIRST? Jesus told us Who was to be first in Matthew 22:37-38, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” We are to love God first.
God said, “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6). In the last chapter of the Bible, He reminds us of the same, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 21:13). Are we truly putting Him first?
Time with the Lord should be the FIRST thing we do. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). Even if it is a short prayer, coming to Him to praise Him and ask for His guidance shows Him our devotion. We should pray first as Paul taught in 1 Timothy 2:1.
Forgive FIRST. “Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:4-5). Quit worrying about whether or not someone is going to ask forgiveness, you forgive first. And repent first. “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter” (Matthew 23:26). (See post, Forgive, Forgive, Forgive.)
Are we putting first things first or are we living with a “me first” attitude? Have we forgotten our first love? “Thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:4). When something other than God is first in our lives, then we have an idol.
Heed these “first things first” commandments and return to the Lord, our Maker. What are your priorities as you live your portion in this life? 💕
10 Comments
michalskisgreatadventure
Very good firsts! I really appreciate how you’ve collected these different firsts from God’s commands. These are those questions that we can ask about every thought and word and action of our lives, every day…That C.S. Lewis quote really captures something I struggled through in my own life. I would face this conflict, sometimes, when my love for someone and my care for their eternal soul caused me to share God’s truth with them, but then that truth made them feel I was not loving them. For example, my mom thinks she is a Christian but she believes in evolution instead of Genesis, and I knew that if I really loved her, I must offer to share God’s truth about creation with her. When I did, it made her angry, and she said that if I actually loved her, and if I actually wanted to treat others as Jesus would want me to, I wouldn’t make her feel this way. I spent a lot of time searching God’s word and praying about how I could love God and also love others as He would have me love them. I ultimately settled on the truth that my only hope to ever love others as God would have me love them was to put all my efforts into loving God most of all and trust Him that the love of others would follow, as the second commandment follows the first. As C.S. Lewis points out, only by putting the a love for God first could I have any hope for loving others – and in fact, this was a great hope because only God could work all things, every little comment, every interaction, every moment in every heart, to the good of all His children. It was a great comfort, because even when I felt like I failed in a conversation or an interaction, as I approached God in repentance and prayer, I had the confidence of knowing that He would work even my failures to the eternal glory of His kingdom. It was tough to work through, because personal interactions are so very personal, but it’s also an important first because personal interactions are so much of our daily work in this life! Thanks for this post – it’s always so good for us to reflect upon what is and what should be first in our lives!
Leslie
Thank you for reading and commenting, Sydney. When I read your posts I often find myself reflecting on an area of my Christian life, and that is how it should be. I know I want to encourage others to grow in their walk with the Lord. I have a dear friend whose brother believes in evolution and has basically denounced God altogether. It’s been so hard for her because she feels responsible to share the gospel with him, yet he refuses it. We are praying for his soul and that the Lord will put solid Christians in his path that will point him to the Lord. I will pray for your mom.
Erica
Love this reminder! I have been pondering the ways of loving God with all my mind, and how that leaves no room for fear, selfishness, or frustration. With the Holy Spirit living in us, there is no command unattainable. Thanks for blogging your study for us to share with you.
Leslie
Yes! I know we can never reach holiness on this sinful earth, but we are to be striving to live holy lives with the help of the Holy Spirit. I think we take that Power for granted all too often. Thank you for stopping by, Erica!
Lara
This is a great reminder. To put God first in everything sets our focus and allows it to spill over into every area of our life. Your questions are thought provoking and beautifully answered with God’s truth. Thank you for sharing!
arricahess
This is a great reminder that God is our everything. He comes first and then adds all to us!! I also studied that word “first” for a Bible study I am leading (focusing on Matthew 6;33) . It comes from the Greek word “proton” which means holding the highest place in our affections. These scriptures you shared, captured it beautifully!!
Leslie
It is enlightening to look up the Greek or Hebrew meanings of words. It often helps you to get a real feel of what God was telling us. (Sorry I’m sooooo late in responding!)
Katheryn V. Little
I’ve had this still in my in-box but am just now reading it! Other things crowded over the top of it…. just another example of how things crowd other things out!! Which might be ok with an email, but what a great reminder you gave us that there ARE “first things” — and there’s a reason they need to be kept “first”! They are the most needful, the most important!!! Have y’all been watching The Chosen (there are currently 8 movies available in Series 1. You can find it on the Apps or YouTube.) Last night we watched the last one and I was so struck and saddened by the portrayal of Nicodemus. The movies had shown him throughout … searching. And then he found! But he had so much that he would be “giving up”. He just couldn’t surrender and make Jesus first. He came so close. First matters! I found myself seeing how easily we can get caught up in our world’s false economy! Hay, wood, and stubble!! First assuredly matters!!
I can’t let go of Nicodemus…. I looked up the final verse that Scripture gives us on him. It’s after the crucifixion…. “Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. John 19:39 ESV
God knows true surrender of hearts…. I wonder about Nicodemus’. God will be first— or is He at all in our lives??!!!
Your articles always get me to thinking and pondering!
Leslie
Here I am, just now replying. I have had your comment in my inbox staring me in the face for what, two weeks? lol I have yet to watch The Chosen series, but I have heard so many good things about it. Wade and I rarely watch TV. We have even been without any “cable” service since March.
I’ve never thought about the sadness of Nicodemus…it’s the same as “the rich young ruler” mentioned in scripture. So close to accepting Christ, but not willing whether pride or possessions…
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