Put God First
This devotional was written by Jim Burns
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. —Matthew 6:25-33
There is a scene from the classic movie, Chariots of Fire, that is forever embedded in my mind. The movie tells the story of Eric Liddell. He went to the 1924 Olympics in Paris, France, and was slated to run the 100-yard dash competition on a Sunday. There was only one problem: This incredible athlete took his faith more seriously than his running. For Liddell, his faith in God told him he could not run on Sunday. All efforts to persuade him otherwise failed. A British dignitary finally cried out in frustration, "What a pity we couldn't have persuaded him to run." After a moment's pause his coach responded, "It would have been a pity if we had, because we would have separated him from the source of his speed."
Eric Liddell's obedience to his faith was his source of strength and purpose. His firm stand for God helped him to be one of the great, inspiring athletes of the twentieth century.
How about you? Is your desire to serve Jesus greater than your other desires? Today is a good day to take another look at your priorities. I've never met a person who put God first in his or her life who ever regretted it.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What can you do to put God first in your life?
2. What makes Matthew 6:33 such a significant Scripture for Christians?
FURTHER READING:
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