NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: PRIORITY, NOT PRIORITIES

It’s that time of year between Christmas and New Year’s Eve when millions of sincere people resolve to do better in some area(s) of their lives.  The list of resolutions include dropping ten (or 20 or 30) pounds, staying on the diet, exercising regularly, spending more time with family, reading one’s Bible more, having a more disciplined prayer life, drinking less coffee, cutting back on sugar and carbohydrates, and so on.  Some resolutions are more important than others and may even be ranked in value or importance as priorities.  Inevitably, what starts out as rankings of priorities in the New Year succumbs to shifting sands and a shuffling of the priority deck.  What resolve and fidelity there was to a number of priorities gradually surrenders to the expedient realities of daily life.  Most resolution priorities dissipate and resolution amnesia gradually takes over.  Those realities remind us of the the Apostle Paul’s proclamation, “What I will to do I do not do, and that which I will not to do, I do”  (Romans 7:19).

Recently, in a blog daily published on Facebook (seedbed.com/blog/) J.D. Walt makes the point that for authentic Christians there are not priorities, only a single priority.  The Bible captures the sole priority in different ways:  Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added (Matthew 6:33); Have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5); Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly (Micah 6:8); Walk in love . . . be imitators of Christ (Ephesians 5:1); Be filled to the measure of the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19); Be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15 & 16) in your conduct.

It is clear that we are God’s priority and His desire is that He be our only priority.  If the Lord God and his Kingdom is our sole priority, life takes a course in which all other things are ordered, all needs are covered, and we are blessed with God’s favor.  There is strength and wisdom for every situation.  We live with a will that reflects the Lord’s will for us.  We grow in the context of God’s presence and grace.  God’s love occasions in us an abundant life that exceeds anything we could ask for or imagine.  A life of obedient faith as an expression of our love for God is an expression of a life based on a sole priority.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness

and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33