First Things First
As we head into the 2017, the beginning of the new year beckons with new opportunities and adventures. Many of us would already have grand plans in our minds — traveling to a new destination, looking for a new job, securing a promotion and pay raise, picking up a new skill such as driving, doing more in your ministry or you simply want to grow in your relationship with God.
There is certainly no lack of plans forming in our minds, our enthusiasm to achieve them is not lacking either and certainly we have time aplenty to carry out these plans. It is not a matter of time or the number of plans, but it is a matter of priorities. Can we put first things first?
The great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter:
“Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put second things first and we lose both first and second things.”
He’s right. Maybe for some of us, we had plans which we want to accomplish in 2016, but what started out as plans with fire in the belly fizzled out as regrets like uneaten food kept for ages in the deepest compartment of your refrigerator. Somehow, these plans were shelved all to the way to the back of your mind and eventually left to collect dust.
There’s a lesson to be learnt here — Plan our priorities first. Then, prioritise our plans. In 2017, we need to set our priorities in order and when the first things are done, then the second things will fall naturally in place. When we prioritise, then our plans have a greater chance of success.
So what is the most important priority we should hold first in our lives? It is none other than putting God first in our lives.
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Jesus says that if we seek first the kingdom of God, then all these things (second things) shall be added to us. We first worship and serve God. We first build the house God. We first love others just as God first loved us. We invite God into our driver’s seat. We let God take the wheel. We let God take control of the helm of our lives.
In one of the most significant times recorded in the bible, King David was handing over the mandate of building the glorious temple of God to Solomon. He had summoned the officials of his kingdom — leaders of the tribes, commanders of the army, government officials and others in one gathering to declare this important announcement.
David addressed the congregation — the people of Israel who gathered before him and then he turned to his son, Solomon, who would succeed his throne and take over this huge undertaking of completing the temple of God, and told Solomon:
1 Chronicles 28:9–10 (NLT)
“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.”
Only and only after David had instructed this to Solomon that he then gave the intricate plans of the template building to him (1 Chronicles 28:11). David knew that worshipping God was more important than working on the temple. David knew that knowing the God of the temple was indefinitely more important than knowing the plans of the temple of God. David knew that God was the priority. David knew that he had to put the first things first — Worship over work. Priority over plan.
It’s a new year, it’s a new season, it’s a new beginning. Why not start the new year right by putting the first things first? Take the next few days of the first week to plan our priorities, set them in order, then prioritise our plans. At end of 2017, we can then boldly proclaimed that it has been a greater year than 2016.
Find out more about the amazing church I call home: Heart of God Church.
