God first!

Good morning, ladies!

I thought we could start a new series on the ten commandments. We all know them but are they easy to keep. We’ll start at the beginning with Exodus 20:3 which is the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Seems pretty clear, we are to worship God alone. Most of us can honestly say that we don’t have foreign gods in our homes that we bow down to or pray to. However, do we put other things or people before God? In a world that puts a lot of value on material possessions, it can be easy to get wrapped up in all the wrong things. It’s not that God doesn’t want us to have nice things or relationships with other people, He just expects to be the sole object of our worship.

When the verse says, “before me”, it means, in His sight. God doesn’t want rivals in His presence. God is the creator; doesn’t He deserve our complete loyalty? Back in biblical times, God’s people were surrounded by people who worshipped other gods, multiple gods even. It would seem that being a craftsman who created these idols would have been a pretty lucrative profession. Idolatry at that time was blatant and seen everywhere. Today idolatry seems to be more private, more personal. It goes beyond physical statues to pretty much anything that consumes a person’s heart and mind. It can be money, job, fame, hobbies, people and often just self.

We may not even see it when we put other people before God. Basically, we can’t change who we are or what we do just because someone else is present. When we have people over for a meal, do we still pray before eating? When children or grandchildren are at the house, do we still spend time in Scripture? When we have guests in the home, do we still attend services? If we are out of town visiting friends or family, do we find a church to attend on Sunday? All of these things show that God comes first, and we should want to convey that to others who visit in our homes. It’s our responsibility to live a God-first life before those around us.

Are the ten commandments relevant today? Certainly! They are the basis for living a moral life. They are even represented in our legal system today with laws against stealing, murder and slander.

How do these rules in the Old Testament tie in with the New Testament? Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that the greatest commandment is to love God. It seems to me that if we want to obey Jesus, we have to worship God alone, nothing else. God should be the center of our lives and valued above all else. And this total devotion to Him should take over our entire being to influence our thoughts, actions, words, and our every decision.

Other verses that talk about putting God first can be found throughout Scripture.

Matthew 6:33 tells us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Proverbs 3:6 states, “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”

Matthew 6:24 reminds us, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Romans 8:5 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

Matthew 22:37 teaches, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

So, as we go thru the rest of our week, let’s remember to fully devote ourselves to God, putting Him above all else.

If you’re looking for a church home or would like to check out Pleasant Grove, join us on the little church on the hill, it’s worth the drive!

Lori Hug