Who Is Number One?
In sports, this means who has the most championships or the best team. In business, this means who has the most revenue and influence. In fashion, this means who is influencing the current style. In family, this means where are your priorities. In God, this means who is worshipped and who is leading.
In all of these genres, the fight for number one is fluid because it’s always changing. In sports it could be week to week. In business it is quarter to quarter. In fashion, it can change before you know it. In the family, we can blink, and our kids are out of the house. In God, we can be close to Him and then, we’re not.
Have you been there?
The truth is, the battle for number one is an outward picture of what’s happening in us daily. We are bombarded with other things being number one, and it’s easy to one day look up and God is not where He should be.
But the reason this is even important is because, whatever is number one has our focus, our heart and our priority. We determine our schedule around what’s number one. We lead our lives around number one and we give our hearts to what’s number one.
For the parents reading this blog, we know what this is like with kids. Our schedules, our budgets, our energy, our weekends, our focus can revolve around all things kids. And while I think this is great and we do this in our house, we can’t afford to forget God and furthermore, where He should be.
When God is number one, our priorities align with what’s most important and therefore, we invest into these things.
When God is not number one, our priorities can align to things that don’t matter most and therefore, we invest into something that gives nothing back.
Far too often, this is what happens because in all the competition of who is number one, God isn’t, number one.
Jesus said this when it comes to who is number one.
Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37
This is our daily challenge, to love Jesus with all of our heart, soul and mind. We can’t do this if He’s not number one. But here’s the thing, when He’s number one, the other parts of our lives won’t be neglected, they’ll actually be better.
When we love God and make Him number one, we will love our family, we will love our spouse, we will love our kids, we will respect our school and our jobs. We will seek to do our best in everything that we do. This causes us to see ourselves as a part of something bigger, which draws us to a higher identity.
Conversely, when God is not number one, the other things in our lives will be neglected. Our family, spouse, kids, school, job and more will suffer because the priorities of our heart are out of order.
Notice the difference, when God has my full affection, everything else can get better. When God doesn’t have my full affection, everything will suffer.
In either case, It may not show up right away, but it will over time. The seeds of our lives today will produce the fruit we’ve invested in.
This is why we must have God number one. His fruit is always good and His fruit will always produce life.
So, how do you make God number one?
Take it one step at a time and begin to make Him your focus, your heart and your priority. Determine your schedule around Him and lead your life around who He is and what He is doing.
This is where we thrive and this is where our families grow together! This is not only what we long for, this is what we need!
Who is number one? God is! Make this truth personal to you!
PD
