Do you have the proper priorities in life?
Life’s top priority
Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? … 31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mt 6:25-33)
You can learn a lot from this question but for today’s discussion look at it as a question of your life priorities. What are your top priorities in life? What things are most important to you?
This is important because your top life priority sets the entire tone and direction of your life.
Jesus makes it clear that your top life priority should be seeking the kingdom of God first and living a godly life. The book of Ecclesiastes talks about the meaninglessness of all the pursuits of man like fame, wealth, knowledge, accomplishments, women, etc and concludes with this:
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. (Ecc 12:13 – NASB1995)
God and pleasing Him should be the believer’s top priority in life.
Are your priorities mixed up?
You highest priority in life should be seeking God and living a godly life. Are those your top priorities?
This is an important question since your priorities in life can become cloudy or even change over time. You might not make a conscious decision to shift God from the top spot, but it happens subtly. Your true priorities become obvious by how you live, so look at yourself:
- How do you spend your time?
- What do you think about most?
- Where does your money go?
When life and worldly matters mix up your priorities all sorts of problems happen in your life. You lose peace, get confused, feel frustrated, your faith starts failing like Peter on the lake (Mt 14:28-30), you rob yourself of great blessings like Martha (Lk 10:38-42), mess up your life like Saul (1 Sam 15:17-26), and become unfruitful (Mk 4:18-19).
Keep God as your top priority in life. Don’t allow life or the world shift your priorities from God to the meaningless things of the world. Look at what the Bible says:
… what is worthless is exalted by the human race. (Ps 12:8)
For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight. (Lk 16:15)
Knowing that we humans are so easily drawn away to meaningless things should inspire we believers to keep a close eye on our priorities in life.
Test yourself regularly to see if He is your top priority.
Think about it
What are your top proper priorities in life?
How would God fill in the blanks if He asked you this question, “Isn’t life more than _______ and _______?”
Are you focused on your own concerns or Gods? Worldly or spiritual things?
What does the way you live tell you about your priorities? How do you spend your free time? How do you spend your spare money? What do you talk about most, do the most?
What priorities do you need to change?
If you need to change your priorities, the instruction is simple:
But seek first the kingdom of God … (Mt 6:33)
So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. (Col 3:1-2)
God urges you to think carefully about your ways (Haggai 1:7). He wants you to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth, because:
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Mt 6:20)
Do you have the proper priorities in life?
BIBLE DEVOTIONS FOR LIVING 