Pray FirstSample

Begin with God

God is the God of new beginnings and new opportunities. Maybe you need to see this as a promise for your life. Perhaps you wonder if God is at work in your circumstances, but He’s already begun to work. You have an opportunity to join Him in what He is doing, to start anew, and to be filled with hope. You can face new challenges and new possibilities when you put God first. He is the God of new beginnings.

In the very beginning of the Bible, in the very first chapter and the very first verse, it says, “In the beginning God.” These four words are the secret to a happy, fulfilled, and abundant life. Make sure that God is always at the beginning, that He’s always first. Put Him at the beginning of your marriage, your relationships, your finances, and your schedule. Put Him at the beginning of everything that you build your life upon.

When God gave Moses instructions for the Israelites, the first thing He said was, “I am the Lord your God who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.” He told them, “I’m the one who gave you freedom. I provided for you. I’m the one who’s taking care of you.” Then, God added, “You must not have any other God but me.”

Now, God was, and is, very serious about this. He is saying, “You must not have any other loves above me. You must not have any other passions above me. You must not have any priorities more important than me.” It’s not that God doesn’t want you to have any other loves, passions, or priorities; He just wants to be first in those things. He wants to be preeminent. He wants to be the priority, your first love, your passion.

Of course, you’ll have other people and other things that you love, but God wants you to love Him first and foremost. You will have passions, but God wants to be your first passion. You have other priorities in life, such as your family, your spouse, your children, your education, and your job. Yes, you have other priorities, but God wants to be your first and primary priority.

God, help me to put You first in my life. Help me begin my day with You.