Put God First (Because No One Likes to Come in Second)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
Feeling victorious, I emerged from the woodland path only to find the spectators were packing up to leave. I was a fifth-grader on the cross-country team and had just finished my first three-mile run, dead last.
I was not an athletic child. However, I tried with all my heart. Swimming, ice skating, horseback riding, volleyball, softball, basketball, dance lessons, and one embarrassing attempt at cross-country.
Second place in anything athletic was an unachievable goal.
I felt victorious for just finishing the race; second place would have made me feel like an Olympian. However, second place as an adult doesn’t hold the same magic as it did as a child. And God doesn’t enjoy second place either.
When Second-Place Doesn’t Feel Like a Prize
- Realizing my son’s mother-in-law received a Mother’s Day gift while I got a text feels like second place.
- Seeing a picture on Facebook of friends attending an event I would have loved to participate in feels like second place.
- Growing up with a gregarious, attention-seeking older sibling often felt like second place.
- Having dealt with infidelity in my marriage was a second-place prize I would have preferred to return.
So when we put our family, jobs, church activities, money, or anything else before God, God is now in second place.
We don’t have to read very far into the Bible to learn that God doesn’t accept second place. Exodus 20:5, Exodus 34:14, and Deuteronomy 4:24 instruct us that God is a jealous God, and we are to put no other gods before Him.
Why Do We Need to Put God First?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Why?
Because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19).
By seeking God first, in return, we are promised His Kingdom and righteousness. And His promise is fulfilled through the blood of Christ, His son. (John 3:16). There is no further proof needed of God’s love for us.
We have won first place through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
What Does Putting God First Look Like?
Putting God first in our lives is not a New Year’s resolution or a chapter in a self-help book. It’s an ongoing journey of growing our relationship with Jesus. It’s a step-by-step process of faith, one decision, one change at a time.
Perfection is not the goal; growth is the goal.
Perfection is not the goal; growth is the goal. Share on XIf getting up at 4:00 a.m. to spend two hours on your knees is the place you start, you might find after three days you have failed. But for me, spending 20 minutes a day in quiet time with Jesus and my Bible before tackling my to-do list is a small step of discipline that brings me closer to Jesus. Find what works for you. Because, friend, I know how it feels to come in second. I have felt the disappointment of not measuring up and falling short.
I know the sting of rejection and its lasting pain. However, because I have chosen Jesus as my Savior, I am the daughter of the King. I have won the ultimate first-place trophy. I never have to feel like a second-place prize again.
Quiet Conversations
Written by Stephanie M. Carter, M.Th.
Does your prayer life feel forced? Do you ever wish you had a more personal relationship with Jesus? Quiet Conversations will inspire you to trust that God can and does talk to you. You will hear the intimacy of His voice and a sense of His presence. Stephanie Carter, ordained minister and teacher, takes you into the heart of her secret place. She shows you what it is like to have very natural conversations with a very real God, that reveal some very important truths He has for His children. The truths shared in this book will help you desire and develop a hearing ear to His voice alone.
