Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Do you put God last? Is He the one that you stick in your day when you have an open moment? Or maybe He isn't part of your day until the Lord's Day. Is that the case?
Brothers and Sisters, God, by virtue of His excellent nature and His marvelous works should be first in our lives. Here are some ways to make Him first in your life.
1. Make Him first in your time. Begin your day by reading His word and spending time in prayer. This sets your day aright and reminds you who you are in Christ. It will be good to see the day ahead of you through the lens of being Christ's child.
2. Make Him first in your thoughts. Select a passage of Scripture and meditate on it throughout the day. This will sweeten them and put them in a proper perspective. You also will become like a tree firmly planted by rivers of water. (Psalm 1)
Psa 119:27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
3. Make Him first in your resources. Do you spend most of your money and leave God with the leftovers? Given He supplies everything you have, is this right? Before you pay your bills, figure out what you can begin dedicating to God and go from there. Select an amount that is workable and in which you can cheerfully give. Then give to Him first. God loves a cheerful giver.
4. Make Him first in your talents. Whatever gifts you have personally you have from Him. Use them for His glory first, His kingdom first, His church first. How much of your life is spent on the Lord first?
5. Make Him first in your love. This will cover everything else. If you love Him more than anyone or anything else, then the rest will fall into place. Your time, thoughts, resources, talents and so forth will follow suit. The bottom line here is that we spend on that which we love. Spend it on God first.
Luk 10:27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
Now, we are not going to do any of this in the flesh. If we try we will fail. God must perform the work in us. We must seek His grace to enable us to seek first the kingdom of heaven.
Psa 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
As we approach the New Year, consider how you spend your time, resources and talent. If you belong to Him truly, seek first His kingdom. All the rest will be added unto you.