First Things First

Putting first things first seems easy.  (Please really draw out that word seems for full effect.)  I mean, after all, there is a certain rhythm to our life.  First, you wake up, then you get out of bed.  First, you put toothpaste on your toothbrush, then you brush your teeth.  First, you put socks on, then you slip on your sneakers.  For math folks, these things do not have a commutative property.  If you reverse their order, they don't work.  Addition is commutative.  You can change the order of 4+2 to 2+4 and you will still get the same result.  But, change up any of the things I mentioned and it just doesn't work.

There are times when you must put first things first.

That has been the whisper--no, the demand--the Lord has on my life this week.

"First things first," I keep hearing Him say.

I sigh because though I know what He wants, it is not easy.  And I know that sounds kind of crazy.

You:  You know what the BIG GUY wants and you don't just do it?

Me:

You:  Come on, just do it.  Get it over with.

Me:

You:  How can you not do what He wants?

Me:

You see how this is working.  I mean seriously.  It's like I think about reading a book and sit down and hear God say, "First things first."  My eye roves over to the Bible sitting beside me because He opened two books of the Bible to me this week, too.  I look at the book in my hand.  I let out a loud sigh and put it down.  Pick up the Bible and I am always glad afterward that I did.  He has a reason and even though I may be acting like an eye-rolling adolescent at this point,  I know He does know best.

This all started because every time I pick up some work, it seems like I am working with a giant hole in my time!  Like someone puts their finger on the clock and gives the minute hand a big push and it goes spinning forward.  Things that should take me minutes are taking hours.  Things that should take hours are never getting finished.  My Type A personality is hitting the brick wall and, of course, I cry out to Him because He has to help me.  And He says, "First things first."

As I revert back to my adolescence I begin to whine my way out of it, "But, God, if you'd just help me finish all this work I have, I'd do those things.  I'd have plenty of time to put first things first."

And there is God just looking at me with a total mom stare because that doesn't even make sense to me, "Let me finish this stuff and then I'll do those first things."  What?  Did I say that?

So, here I go, breaking my will and demanding myself to put first things first and trusting Him for the rest.

I encourage you to do the same.  If some part of your life seems to be spiraling, ask yourself if God is asking you to do something that you aren't doing because you're convinced you just can't.

Examples?  Okay, sure, I can give you those.

God, I know I am supposed to tithe, but if you'd just give me enough money, I'd be glad to do that.

God,  I know that spending time communing with you is essential to my every day, but if you'd just make me some more time in the day, I promise I will get to it.

God, You want me to spend time with my neighbor down the street, well, okay, but I'm going to need them to approach me.

You get it.  Since you are here, I'm not sure what your challenge for First Things First is, but I'm glad we are both agreeing in prayer today to make this the week we do just that.

First Things First.  He has a perfect plan.