Wednesday Bible Blurb “God First” 2 5 2025
For an athlete winning a gold medal in the Olympics is the goal and sign of success. To make this amazing physical achievement happen one must set their sights on the goal and never turn away. Focus on the task at hand to win the prize in the future. Paul describes this for us, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (I Cor. 9:24-27 [NKJV]). To achieve Olympic victory, one must focus on the goal and never look away.
How does a Christian achieve spiritual victory to achieve the prize God has offered to us? Like a physical athlete we become a spiritual athlete (As Paul alluded to) and must focus our eyes on our goal-God. Our world is full of daily distractions getting in our way of our humble submission to God. We must put God first in all things, every morning, every day, all the time. Jesus put God first in all things, every morning, every day, all the time. Let’s look at some examples of putting God first.
– “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1). God has always been first.
– “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Ex. 20:3). God first.
– “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.” (Matt. 6:9b). Jesus starts His wonderful example prayer showing us to put God first.
– “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33). In our daily lives we are to put God first.
– “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God withal your heart, with all you soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.’” Matt. 22:37-38). God first.
As we run our daily race in society, we must emulate Jesus and put God first in everything we do, every morning, every day, all the time. God first in everything we do is how we run are to run our spiritual Christian race.
Wait, but there is more (I sound like a commercial). God is not only first, He is also last. We need to understand that God is everything good. He is the creator of the universe and all-encompassing to us. He is the giver of eternal life. Have we ever considered the ending of the LORD’s prayer? Jesus says, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Not only does Jesus start the LORD’s prayer with His Father in heaven, He ends the prayer with His Father in heaven. God should be the first and the last thing on our mind as we go through our day. God first, every morning, every day, all the time.
“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.” (Rev. 21:6). Our God is the beginning and the end who we should put first every morning, every day, all the time. By putting Him first in all we do we will drink of the water of life. Every athlete at the end of a race wants fresh cool water. God gives us all His water of life. God first, every morning, every day, all day long.
