Thought of the Day !!

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:2-3 (NRSV)

If asked which of the 10 Commandments were the most important, what would you say? Would it be not to murder or steal? Or would your answer be that all are of equal importance? My answer would be that the first of these commandments given by God is the most important. I believe this is because all the rest depend upon the first.

The first commandment of God to have no other gods before Him is a commandment of relationship and priorities. Anything we worship will be our god (small letter g). And what God is saying is that there should be nothing worshipped before him...nothing put before Him...no relationship held higher than ours with Him.

What we worship is what we place as a top priority. If our top priority in life is getting ahead and making money, then that's what we worship ahead of God. If our top priority in life is entertainment, then that's what we worship ahead of God. And the list can go on and on. God is saying that He wants us to place Him (or our relationship with Him through Christ) as our top priority. All other things must come after Him. And when we do that, they become better. If we want our marriage to be greater, place God first and our relationship with our spouse will be that much better. This can be said about anything in life that we may worship.

Here's a test to see if you are putting any gods before God. Take a look at your time during any given period (week/month/year). Take out 8 hours per night for rest and 40 hours a week for work (NO MORE). Consider all the time other than these two periods to be extra time. What takes up the majority of your extra time? Is it more work or sleep? Is it entertainment for yourself? Is it family functions? What is it?

Then take your checkbook and credit card to see how you spend your money. Take out expenses for food and house note and utilities. Then look at where the left over money goes. What do you spend the majority of your money on?

Is the majority of your extra time and money spent on things that have to do with your relationship with God? Or is it something else? Whatever it is, that is what you worship most. If it is not God, then you've broken the first commandment.

Let us all commit to placing God first today, beginning with our thoughts and prayers.

In the love of Christ,
greg