God First, God Foremost

We’re trying to do our job well, get promoted, keep the home together. We’re taking care of our own aging parents, paying the bills, saving money for both our kids’ college and our retirement. We’re trying to raise the kids well and teach them . . . so many things. We’re trying to set them up to get good grades, sports opportunities, exposure to multiple experiences that can point them toward what they might want to do when they grow up.

We’re trying . . .

And as the to-do list grows, the panic rises. All the responsibility to care for our family seems to fall on us, and the possibility of failure bites at our heels when we slow down.

Jesus offers an exit off this crazy highway. But it requires a leap of faith.

But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.

Matthew 6:33 (CEV)

In our thinking, adding more time with the Lord to the to-do list would not equal having more time or being more productive. But when we put God first, he promises that all other things will fall into place, sometimes even without much effort from us.

It is counter intuitive. It takes faith to put God first and trust he will order our steps to get the rest done. It takes much prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit to identify things that we have made priorities over loving God.

So, instead of stressing over getting the kids through third-grade math, seek God’s guidance, and work on making sure they love Jesus first and know how to ask him for help.

Instead of burning both ends of the candle until it becomes a stick of dynamite, ask the Lord what your family should cut out of the schedule in order to get to church or Bible study.

Instead of holding the responsibility of command time with a death grip, ask Jesus what he would have you do with this time, for this group of warriors.

Trust him. Turn to him. Put God first and foremost in your life and then watch how he takes care of what you can’t.

Pray

Lord, doing all this on our own is wearing us out. We want to put you first in how we spend our time, money, and talents. Help us to love you more than all these things. We place our worries in your care. Amen.

Time to Talk

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s): What do you think is the most important thing to do when you grow up?

Keep It Going

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Psalm 127:1-2

Matthew 10:29-31