Daily Devotional: Wednesday, Jan 20
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Reset Me
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Today is the Day by Lincoln Brewster; The Time Has Comeby Hillsong United; How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin; How He Loves by David Crowder Band.
Read: Exodus 20: 1-11; Matthew 22: 36-40
Think: "When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now. Insofar as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving towards the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased." - Letters of C.S. Lewis (8 November, 1952)
Pastor Ben made a reference this weekend to C.S. Lewis and putting first things first. Lewis was raised in the Church of Ireland and became an atheist at age 15. Later in life his experience of coming to Christ was described as follows: "like a prodigal, kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance to escape". His admission of God's existence, and accepting Jesus as his Savior, produced some of the most influential Christian essays of the 20th century.
The passage quoted above is also a reflection upon God's commandments to the Israelites (see Exodus 20:1-11) and clarified and emphasized by Jesus as he answered the question posed by the Pharisees:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40 NIV
No question about it...order is important. God listed his first commandment to the Israelites first for a reason; quite simply He desires more for us. The why behind the order is not immediately and intuitively obvious is it? At least it hasn't always been for me. I need to put Him first, above all things, my marriage, my family, my friends, all wonderful and important for sure. He doesn't command us to ignore these things as a sacrifice for putting him first, just for us to get the order right. He doesn't say all of these are co-equals does He? Putting Him first actually increases these things in our life; it increases the quality of our relationships, and our ability to love and in reality to love more deeply. Loving God with all my heart, with all my soul, with my entire mind needs to be my priority; it is foundational to the second things. My Reset list has grown this week and this one looks like it better ascend to the top!
Do: Ask yourself is God your rock, your foundation? Have the second things become first and the first thing second? Do you let God know each day that you love him? Do you listen to him each day? Is He your teacher and counselor?
Pray: Dear Father I desire to place you first. I love you and want to learn from you. Help me to re-order my life. Thank you for your wisdom in ordering this world. Your love is gentle, it is kind, and you love me more than I can know. I choose to place you first above all things in my life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
