Prioritizing Your Relationship With God Over Your Work for Him
Matthew 22:36-40
““Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.””
Do you understand what these verses mean for us in our lives today? The Pharisees tried to trip up Jesus by asking Him their hard-hitting questions: What is the greatest commandment in the law of Moses? I can almost picture it: their smartest guy pushes his way through the other bozos and smugly asks Jesus this question. As we read, not long after that, they were rightfully humiliated and walked away in shame.
In that moment, Jesus was emphasizing something for us, and it is really important to remember daily. It's so easy to get caught up in our work! Leading a men's group, leading a Bible study, serving at church, or even helping the poor can, unbelievably, take us away from our greatest commandment. Being so focused on the outcome of the ministry you're a part of that it causes you to neglect your personal relationship with God is backwards. Our daily focus needs to be on a relationship, not an outcome. Prioritizing your relationship with God must come before anything you do for Him.
Our calling is intimacy with God, and any job, career, or ministry flows out of that relationship, not the other way around. When we prioritize the work of God over the God of the work, it leads to spiritual burnout, pride, and anxiety. God designed things in a specific order for a reason; being with Him must come before being sent by Him. If we try to work in our calling without spending time with God, it's like trying to run an appliance without plugging it into the wall.
This life serving God may feel complicated and frustrating at times, but I honestly believe that happens when we drift from where we should be, and it should be treated as a red flag. Prioritizing your relationship with God isn't just another thing to add to your schedule. It's where everything else begins. God deserves your prime time.
How's your daily devotion time with the Lord?
Thank you, Father, for one more day. Amen
John 15:5-8
“ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
