George Smiles From Jane's MarmaladeSample

DAY 2

Putting God first in everything!

#1 on our list: GOD

ASK God to show up in your time today. I believe God will be speaking to you (through your thoughts, your reading and prayers) directly in this time as you are committing to putting Him first in all you do.

READ: DEU 6.5-9, MAT 6.33, TIT 2.11-14, PHP 3.7-9

DEVOTIONAL: Our personal stories of experiencing God all differ. Some folks have known Jesus their entire life without necessarily knowing when it happened. It’s just always been a part of who they are. Others know the exact time and date, coming to know God through an introduction at a vacation Bible school, summer camp, or other gentle experience. And still, others have to hit rock bottom or had some radical transformation to understand that God will love them no matter what. No matter how you have come to know God, the ability to put Him first in EVERYTHING we do can still be very challenging.

I’ll be honest here, my biggest struggle personally with putting God first was His “tangibility,” i.e., believing that He could really be “right here” to talk with and be present in all I do and who I am. The Holy Spirit does bring incredible “power” to anything you do, and is a “presence,” but sometimes I felt closer to my spouse because I could go be with her in times of need. Here’s how that changed over time for me; I committed to God being #1, asking Him to be involved in everything I did and do. I found myself praying a LOT, as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “pray without ceasing.”

Let me use an old-school example, from the days when our phones didn’t tell you who was calling and before Caller ID. If you talked with someone enough, you actually recognized their voice over the phone before they told you who it was. Or if they walked into a nearby room, you heard their voice and knew who it was. Why? Because you had listened to them a lot and you identified who it was without them telling you or like today with the name showing up on your screen. It’s the same way in prayer and communications with God. I find that if I am in regular communication with God, I recognize His voice. He is really there, and I know His presence and invite Him into anything and everything I am doing. I know God is with me through His Word, through my prayer, and through His Holy Spirit who is accessible any time I want Him to join me in my everyday life.

WRITE down some thoughts about your Bible reading today. How do you feel about putting God first in everything? Is that possible? What habits might you need to adjust to putting God first in life? What are the things that might be tough to overcome for making this the #1 priority? Be honest with yourself.

MEDITATE: Take the time to think and pray about what came out in your writing and reading time today. Pray over these things for better clarity and direction for the Holy Spirit to speak to you about how to put God first in all you do and to overcome any challenges or obstacles in that effort.