Priorities

Psalm 119:33-48 -- Nehemiah 9:6-25 -- Romans 5:1-11

Priorities. Each day, if we're to be productive, we prioritize what we need to get done. If we have a test in 3rd hour and 7th hour, we probably study for the test in 3rd hour first. If we have a meeting on Tuesday night and Thursday night, we prepare for the meeting on Tuesday night first. If we're going on vacation, we decide our budget, choose our destination, ask for the time off, plan our transportation, then our lodging, then what we'll do when we get there, what we'll wear, what we'll need--toiletries, books, shoes. Then, as the departure date looms, we start doing laundry, we shop for travel size items, we may consider the weather both at home and at our destination. What started as a joy begins to be an unending list of things to do and prioritize.

We prioritize everything. Even simple everyday things like when we brush our teeth in the morning or when we check our email. Scriptures tell us to "strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33) Easier said than done. As I consider the scriptures for today, the Psalms reading is very resolute. I will do this. "Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain." "I will keep your law continually, forever and ever." Yet we find in the Nehemiah text that that simply isn't true. We recount all the things that God does for us, and still we turn away. We are so very blessed and we forget the goodness and abounding steadfast love of our God. "...we're not mindful of the wonders..."

I was reading in Radical Renovation, Living the Cross-Shaped Life by James A. Harnish that Saint Augustine used the Latin phrase "homo incurvatus in se" which means "man curved in on himself," and that Martin Luther said of it "Our nature...is so deeply curved in on itself that it not only bends the best gifts of God towards itself and enjoys them...but it also fails to realize that it so wickedly, curvedly, and viciously seeks all things, even God, for its own sake." WOW! If this is our nature, to be turned so inwardly, to prioritize our days to focus on ourselves, what is there to say of Jesus' words "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it."? Or the words of Hereth in Listening to Lent, "Is what you hold dearest your greatest temptation?"

Thankfully, we have a God "...ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love..." Thankfully, we have a God who "...proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Thankfully, Jesus didn't lose sight of his priority--to save us and to reconcile us to God. "...we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life."

Priorities. Strive FIRST for God's kingdom. What does that look like? God's kingdom has no suffering. God's kingdom has no hate. No war. No disease. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth, as it is in heaven. This day, may our suffering produce endurance, our endurance produce character, our character produce hope. And may our hope not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Let experiencing God's love and sharing it with others be our priority this day and all the days of our lives.