A friend of mine in Louisiana who is a runner sent me a hilarious video some time ago. It was about a guy whose life was all about running. It just dominated his day. He would get up early in the morning and go for a long run, then he would go to work and tell everyone he saw all about it. Then he’d go home and eat healthy, and before he went to bed, he would lay out his clothes for running the next day, when he would get up — and do it all over again. Running was not this guy’s hobby, it was his whole LIFE!
Now some of you may know that I run – not that much – but I run 2-3 miles, 3-times a week for exercise. Running has a little place in my life, but my life does not revolve around it. The thing is, after I saw that video, I thought: this is a picture of how the Christian life is supposed to be for the follower of Jesus. Our whole lives are supposed to revolve around Jesus, just like that guy’s whole life revolved around running. The problem many of us have is that we give Jesus a place like running has in my life: a little place, but not first place, in our lives.
As we begin a new year today I want us to think about putting the Lord “First.” Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 that we are to “seek FIRST the kingdom of God.” The single greatest problem facing many of us as Christians is that we are not really giving God the place He should have in our lives. We give Him “a” place, but not FIRST place. So as we begin this new year together let’s look at some things that God’s word tells us about giving Him “FIRST” place this year: Continue reading
shawnethomas 