First Things First

"Head on downstairs and grab some time to yourself," my husband offered. I had an hour, at best, before the ravaging hoards would be looking for dinner. I raced to my office and began searching through my "Draft" folder to see what articles I could quickly complete.

So, you're not even going to spend some time in Scripture, first?

"I've got an hour," I protested. "I haven't got time for that right now."

I mean, not even a prayer?

"Ok, Jesus. Um, thank You for this time. May my words be Your words. Amen." And I dug in. Two hours later, dinner wasn't on the table, I think I'd deleted twice as much as I'd typed, and I stomped up the stairs annoyed. "Why can't these people make their own dinner," I thought. "There has to be a better way; I hardly have any time to work on the things I need to do. I get so tired of serving everyone else around here. Who serves me?" blah blah blah, murmur murmur

It was Martin Luther who said:

"I have so much to do today that I'm going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done."

I'm not sure whether everything on his list got checked off that day, but if it didn't, I know he was better for it.

Throughout Scripture, God requires of His people the "first fruits" of their labors. First fruits. Whatever we've got, His comes right off the top; whether it's our paychecks or "time to ourselves." He knows we are naturally self-centered. If we wait to give God His due, we get careless, distracted, forgetful at best. I think, more accurately, we figure nothing bad has happened yet; He won't miss it. And we go on about life as if we have control. 

You see, I know I get more done when I pray. I know the thoughts and words pour out of me almost too quickly to type them, when I come to God first, giving Him all my attention and seeking His plan for that time. Whether it be an hour or only a minute or two, a heart poured out in earnest first, is what God requires and what works best if I am to hear His voice (even if it doesn't make print). I know this. But there are times I am too stubborn, too self-seeking, too rebellious to listen to even my own good sense telling me what is best. Those are the times that end up most often, in frustration. I can't seem to find the words. My ideas go completely off the rails. And my family becomes more of a burden to me than a blessing. Not really, but that's how badly my entire perspective is affected in my rebellion.

I have so much to do today, I must first spend as much time with God as He directs. May that be the standard for all our endeavors.