Blake Allen, Student Pastor, LHBC
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
We’ve all heard it. We’ve all said it. “Keep God first and everything else second.” When it comes to priorities, we have been conditioned to believe this is the proper order we must maintain. Certainly, God must receive our utmost devotion. Anything that has our affections more than God is idolatry. So, in that sense, we are to keep God first.
But we must realize that keeping God first means we prioritize Him in everything we do. If keeping God first means starting our mornings with devos, coffee and Jesus but sidelining Him from the rest of our day, then we haven’t really kept God first. To borrow a phrase from Inigo Montoya, “you keep using that word. I don’t think you know what that means.” But if keeping God first means prioritizing Jesus in everything we do, then we have truly grasped the heart of Colossians 3:17. No aspect of our lives should be untouched by Jesus. God should be first in our families, first in our employment, first in our education, first in our relationships, first in our speech, etc.
Worship is a lifestyle, not a Sunday morning event. It is not a switch we flip on Sunday mornings, and turn off when we leave the building. When Christ rules our hearts, everything else is affected. Therefore, how I speak to my children, how I treat my spouse, how I view others, how I respond to my enemies, how I spend my time; all of these should testify to the new nature we have in Christ. Our character and actions are to reflect that sweet grace we have received in Christ Jesus.
The apostle Paul says it best, “whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. In what area(s) of your life today has God not been kept first?
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, you are worthy of all of our devotion and affections. May everything we do bring glory to your name. May our daily worship be pleasing to you. Amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Hebrews 9:22-22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.