Think about the things in your life that you consider important: family, faith, job, income, friends, hobbies, leisure, rest, retirement — the list goes on. As Christians, our “number one” should be our faith. It should lead our decisions. It should manifest itself when we aren’t sure whether or not to “step out” on a decision that’s not within our comfort zone. But how often do we, as Christians, put things other than faith at the same level (or sometimes in a higher level) than our faith? Might it be fear, might it be the unknown, might it be the family get-togethers and sporting events that take over our commitment to be at church services? If we are “serving” these other things at the same level or over our faith in God, they become idols. This warning was given WAY back to the Israelites, as well as the people who replaced the Israelites in the area of Samaria. May we look to our Lord to help us reorganize our priorities so that these areas of our lives — all which may be of some importance — don’t get in the way of our worship to and of the Lord.

“First thing’s first, I seek Your will, not my own, surrender all my wants to you, and keep the first thing first. To live Your truth, walk Your ways, set my eyes, Lord I fix my face on you, all my desires reversed, to keep the first thing first.” – From “First Things First” by Consumed by Fire

Dr. Glen E. Neal

Extended Scripture: 2 Kings 17–19