Draw Close: 21 Days to Know GodSample

“In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5:3 NIV

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

We’ve been talking about “first fruits.”

It’s the power of firsts. The power of priority. There’s also a practical element to this as well. It’s a really simple but powerful principle for life -do first whatever you want to put first. In other words, whatever you desire to make a priority in your life, prioritize first on your calendar. And in your day. So often in my life, what I claim as most important - my health, relationships, spirituality - these become the leftovers “if I have time” after everything else.

Maybe you’ve seen the big rocks illustration. A glass cylinder, grains of sand, big rocks. In one example, the grains are poured in first, and then the big rocks try to be added but they don’t fit. In the following example, the big rocks go in first, then all the sand is poured in, and - amazingly - the sand all fits and slides in around the rocks.

This principle works for life as well. When we put big rocks first - spend time with God in the morning BEFORE anything else, tithe off our paycheck BEFORE we spend anything, prioritize church first thing in the week BEFORE the other days - God’s Spirit has space and a way of ordering everything else. Our days begin to take on purpose and blessing and we grow in our faith.

Another translation of Matthew 6:33 says it something like this - “seek God first and He will order everything else in your life.”

What if, during this fast, in just one area you took this challenge? - SCRIPTURE BEFORE PHONE. Before you touch news or social media or texts in the morning, take just 5 - 10 minutes to read over Scripture, pray, and let God’s Spirit and words pour over your soul.