Articles
GOD NOT BEING THE FIRST PRIORITY
If we were honest about this, this is not just the number one problem—it is the root of all
the problems. If God is not the first priority in our lives, then we will continue to struggle with
all the rest. Solomon spent most of his life searching for meaning. He looked to all sorts of
things. He built great houses, plated vineyards, made gardens and parks and ponds, bought
people and things, collected silver and gold, etc. (Ecclesiastes 2:4-8). In fact, he says that he did
not withhold anything from his heart, but realized in the end that they were all “striving after
wind” (vss. 10-11).
The whole book of Ecclesiastes is about the struggle to find meaning in life with the
solution coming at the very end: “Fear God and keep His commandments” (12:13). The next
sentence however is translated in several different ways: “because this applies to every person”
(NAS); “this is the whole duty of man” (KJV); and “this [is] the whole of man” (Young’s Literal
Trans.).
I like the idea that to fear God and keep His commandments is the “whole of man”. All
that we are and do is wrapped up in the fact that we have a relationship with Him. If that is not
the root—the basic foundation of our life —then we are not on solid ground. Jesus Himself said,
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Mt. 6:33). Our Christian walk is not just
one compartment among many in our lives. It is the compartment in which all the others belong.
If those other areas of life do not seem to fit into it, then they don’t belong within us at all.
As stated in the beginning, I’m sure there are other things you could add to this list. Satan
has a well-equipped arsenal of weapons, and he knows just the right one to use on each family.
My hope is that each family will place their walk with Christ as the number one priority,
bringing all other things in their lives into subjection of the will of God. The best defense against
Satan is to submit to God. Then we can resist the devil and his schemes with confidence, and he
will flee from us (James 4:7-8; 1 Peter 5:8, 9; Ephesians 6:10-13). May we all be families that
stand so close to God every day that the devil is afraid to come near us. ~Ben Hayes
Highland Park church of Christ Muscle Shoals, AL
