Word Before World by Gretchen SafflesSample

First Things First

Every morning, with heavy eyes and groggy vision, I pour my first cup of coffee. I walk to the couch and sink into the well-worn cushions, sitting in a daze for a few moments, trying to coax my soul out of its slumber. My initial prayer is almost always the same: God, please wake me up so I can read the Word before I start this day!

I crave this time—the stillness and quiet, the calm before the storm. I want these first moments to be perfect, peaceful, and perspective-shaping. But instead of being a scene of serenity, these times often look like a string of external interruptions or an internal skirmish.

As my mental distractions grow louder, my phone beckons me from the cabinet where it has been resting all night, silently screaming for me to pick it up and check email or scroll social media for just a minute. But I know that once I open the door, the noise of the world will crank up. I ask the Lord to help me resist the temptation to zone out so I can settle my soul in his unchanging Word.

Miraculously, I open my Bible and journal and soak in God’s Word. Sometimes these moments multiply as I feast on Scripture, and other times I am interrupted by early-waking children or a random thought about something important I forgot to do. Sometimes I sense God’s presence as tangibly as if he were on the couch with me, and other times I wonder if I am talking to a brick wall. But one thing is certain: I never regret training my soul to put Jesus first.

When you aim to put Jesus first in your life, expect to face roadblocks that make it hard to press on. The snooze button becomes more enticing, and it is tempting to pick up your phone before picking up your Bible. But take heart, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (see 1 John 4:4)!

The battle in your heart can only be won through Christ’s sanctifying work within you as he reframes your desires, rewires your mind, and renews your heart. We do not fight for victory but from the victory Christ already accomplished on the cross. Christ, who loved you first, will also help you put him first in your day, in your thinking, and in your life.

Show up weak, knowing he is strong. Ask him for strength, knowing he will give you the perseverance to run the race he has set before you. He gives fresh grace from his infinite supply in Christ Jesus, and his mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:22-24)—even on the days when morning comes too soon or you fall asleep in the middle of your Bible reading. Jesus is worthy of your first moments, your last moments, and every moment in between.

When your gaze starts to shift, your mind starts to wander, and your heart starts to lean toward the ways of this world, turn your eyes back to Jesus, who wakes our sleeping souls from their slumber so they awaken to his grace.