Is God "First" In Your Life?

I’ve heard it all my life and can’t say it doesn’t make sense.  It goes something like this: 

The right priorities for anyone and especially preachers:

    a. Your relationship with God.

    b. Your relationship with your family.

    c. Your relationship with the Body of Christ.

    d. Your relationship with everyone else.

It sounds good. There’s just one problem. It is not right! Now, obviously Matthew 6:33 is true but if we are not careful we can misapply it and get it out of context.  

The issue is that metric type lists like the one above sort of put God on a scale. And if so He could move up and down that list in my daily life. And the danger is that I begin to think: “This is God time,” “This is family time,” “This is work time,” etc.  

But, it’s all God time!  My time with my family is God time. As a spouse or parent the time I spend with them I must be behaving as a Christian. And that time is God time as I am “bending” them toward God by example and instruction (Ephesians 5 & 6).  Time at work for the Christian is God time as I am both supporting my family (1 Timothy 5:8) and being an influence for Him in that setting (Ephesians 4:28).

God is my life - not just a part of it! My life is hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3).  “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (1:27). God will not be relegated to a list. 

When I say I put my family first it indicates a competition. And while, no doubt there is with many things such should not exist when it comes to God.  This sort of thinking leads to guilt in moms who can’t be involved in every program of church life. It leads to a false understanding of church involvement for leaders who are striving to shepherd and serve but can’t be everywhere.

So let God be your singular priority whether at school, with family, at work or in every other setting.