Seeking God: The Importance of Putting God First

Relationships are so important for Christians. It is so important that God became human. It means God knows what it is to be human, he stooped low, and dwelt among us. This means that God isn't just a distant good idea, but he is their with us and among us, Emanuel.

As followers of Jesus we need to be in right relationship with God, with self, and neighbor. What does this mean one may ask. Well this is what it means. Well it means keeping the main thing the main thing. God should always be first, as he is our all in all. We know that nothing can replace God and when you have him you truly have everything you need and all else will be added on. Also when we are in right relationship with God we realize that all people are made in his image and all people are important to him. Through the resurrection we have been restored into right relationship with God, mending and fixing what was broken relationship between God and humans. We must not set up idols for ourselves as nothing can replace God, we really do NEED him. Following Jesus should be the center of our lives. We need to worship God not lesser things that we put for ourselves! Worship comes from worth meaning that we worship what is worthy of our complete trust, love and dedication. When we worship something we recognize it is of ultimate value. Everywhere we see economics, new political ideologies,and more becoming idols. We need to put God first, and all else will follow. Here are some verses on that.

Matthew 6:31-33 ESV Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Matthew 6:24 ESV “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Proverbs 16:3 ESV Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Colossians 3:1-4 ESV If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Matthew 22:37 ESV And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind

Friendships are also important. In the body of Christ we should be brothers and sisters, friends, Friends are important because they are here to support you in your walk and just be their for you when you need someone to talk to. It is important to have someone you can bible study with and talk about important things in your walk with Christ. God has created us as social beings, we are meant to be in community, in particular the body of Christ. We must also take time to invest in those who are not particularly our friends because God values them as well and because God invests in us (we can see this when God became man and when he died on the cross for us at n o fault of his own).Here are verses that talks about the importance of friendship.

*Proverbs 18:24 NLT There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

*Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Finally it is important that we are in relation to creation, that we take care of the animals, plants,and various other wildlife God has given us domain over. We are called to be good stewards, including of this planet. We have responsibility and we need to start and take it. Here are some verses on this.

*Proverbs 12:10 NLT The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.

*Psalm 24:1-2 NLT The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.

*Psalm 8: 6- 8 NRSV You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

*Genesis 2:15 NLT The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 

The Way-Jesus has done for us we could not have.

Around the world different cultures make ways to celebrate relationships in different ways, such as in United States (and I'm sure other places) Valentines day marks the love between two people. Nations mark relation with treaties and in several other ways. But what about relations with God you say? God has his own way of setting relation. One of the first ways God showed he will not abandon us despite our fall and continued sin is through the rainbow which is a sign that after the great flood is his sign of restored relations saying that kind of global destruction will ever happen again (at least not by God's hands. God's creation is beautiful as he creates the sun, the moon, all the creatures of the land and water, and more. Then he creates humans and they are very good, however after the fall of man we realize that our relationship with God had been severely damaged. Though God would not leave us this way though because he loves us. God sent his son Jesus Christ into the world so he might save it, and he does save us. Through the Cross-his blood and sacrifice as the perfect Passover lamb he saves us from our sins, saves us from the death meant for us. His love changes the world and changes us and he restores the relation that was broken between God and humans. We see this at our Baptism in a special way after we are baptized into Christ we here you are my beloved, as in we adopted into God's family and through Jesus we are made into children of God. We cant love God unless we really know he loves us, which is made obvious through his sacrifice for us and the Word says We love him because he loved us first. God Bless.