God-#1 or center of our lives?

To blog or not to blog…that is the question. Sometimes I would like that I have something good to say, but then I realize that sounds pretty vain. But I as was reading some of my other friends’ blogs, my mind started to wander and pretty soon I was mentally blogging anyways. Usually I like to write my thoughts out in the forms of prayers, but there are times were my mind is working faster than my pen can keep up with. This will in no way replace that form of pouring out my heart to the Lord, but rather compliment it.

I have been thinking lately about making God number one in our lives versus making Him the center of our lives. Growing up it was always, “Is Jesus #1 in your life?” whether it was from youth camps or just church in general. Then I hit a point in high school where my leaders started preaching about how Christ didn’t need to be #1 in our lives…He needed to be the center. Ok, yeah, that resonated with me. If Jesus is in the center, then everything should flow out from that, be focused around that.

But I think our culture has taken that for granted and somewhat twisted it. Whether you put Him at the top of your list or in the center of your priorities, everything should start with Him. Everything should flow down from that. Here is my point of view on both situations.

Top of the list-it seems as if people say, “Yeah, God is first, then my family, school, friends, etc.,” but more times than not, everything gets compartmentalized. Sure, you have time for Jesus at the beginning of your day or week, but then you move on to other things. There should be a constant overlap, but there simply isn’t. There is absolutely nothing wrong with claiming God as #1 on our list. In fact, that is what He calls us to do in Matthew 6:33-“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (ESV).

Center of your life-this should imply that revolves around God and His sovereign will. In selfishness, we make our plans and then take them to God to see if they get approved instead of starting with God and working out. I’ve just been observing people (and myself!), and too often we fit God into our plans instead of us jumping on board with His plans.

I don’t have some fancy solution and 10-step process that we can follow to fix this. But I’m challenging myself to start with God.  And if I say He is #1 on my list or the center of my life, I will not let it be another Christian cliché. I pray that He would transform my life to where that would be my natural response in any and everything-seeking first His kingdom.