Some friends of ours have two little boys, Caleb and Joshua. The grandparents were living in our friend’s home while they were building. With this family of four and the grandparents, it was a full house. The home was also listed on the market at the time, bringing many challenges as you can imagine.
The grandparents had settled into the upstairs while the boys and their parents occupied the downstairs. The boys loved playing a game each day with their grandpa, the name of the game was, “Who was home first ?” One night before going to sleep, little Caleb, went running upstairs where grandpa was in bed reading a book. He ran into the bedroom and announced, “We were home first.” His Grandpa replied, “No, we were home first.” Caleb said, “We came home and then left, so we were home first.” His Grandpa responded, “No we were home first.” All of a sudden Caleb with great passion shouted, “Well God is first and we are last!” His grandpa burst into laughter, as did his parents, who were downstairs overhearing the debate between Caleb and his Grandpa, as to who arrived home first.
I’ve been thinking about Caleb’s conversation with his Grandpa. He pulled out the “trump” card and won the debate! Grandpa, I’ve got one up on you and you can’t argue with this one, God is first! I wondered, am I living as though God is first in my life? Do those closest to me know God is first? If asked what my family deems most important to me, would they say is God is number one in my life, would they say He is first and foremost. Is it evident that He is the most important thing in my life?
I envisioned a conversation with my heavenly Father where I run into His presence and say, “Father, you are first! He says, “My child, I am first in your life?” I respond, “Yes, You, Lord. You are first.” God says, “Dianne, you know that other things come before Me, I am not first in your life.” I am insistent, “Oh no Father, you are certainly first in my life.” Then I pull out the “trump” card, “Look at all I do for you, Lord. I attend church three- four times a week, I read my Bible when I can, I pray before meals, I give in the offering each week, I worked at the last community service day hosted by the church, I sing in the choir every Sunday, I teach in Vacation Bible school and donate 4 packs of cookies every year,along with taking a meal to a widow every other month. See, Lord, you are first! Then I hear, “My child, it’s not in your doing that I know I am first in your life, but in your being, being all that I created you to be. You spend all your time and energy doing and yet in all of this, you do not know Me, I am not first in your life. Your doing, that is first.”
Caleb knew that at the end of the day, it wasn’t important if he or Grandpa was home first, but what mattered was that God was first! I want to live my life being and not doing, becoming not just existing, growing instead remaining dormant, living in such a way that those around me can see that I know the Creator of the universe, I know Him intimately and He comes first!
Father, you know the innermost parts of my heart, may every chamber cry out that you are first in my life! Help me to prioritize my days that each begins and ends with knowing you more intimately.
“Search me O God and know my heart, try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.” Psalm 139:23
Dianne