T.G.I.F.

Yes, today is Friday; however, my T.G.I.F. does mean what you think it might mean. To me every day is T.G.I.F.  To me T.G.I.F. is Today God Is First. As a disciple of Christ, I am called to put God first every day.  Scripture calls me to "Seek first the kingdom of God" and to "love the Lord with all {my} heart, soul, mind and strength."  My eyes easily glide over the words as I read my Bible, rarely even stopping to ponder their meaning. But on those occasions when I do stop and really think about what I am being instructed lead me to some serious heart examination. I love to do word studies while doing Bible study. As such, I have done numerous studies on the meaning of words like "seek", "first", "love" and "all". All of my studies lead me to one conclusion: that I must intentionally put God above all else in my life. My relationship with Him is to supersede any and all other relationships.  This is often an area that causes non-believers or new believers to stumble. They have a preconceived idea that the relationship with their spouse or children should come first. God is certainly not commanding me to neglect these other relationships.  He is trying to get me to see that if I pursue my relationship with Him above all others, He will guide me in the ways necessary to ensure all of these other relationships are the best they can be.

Not only am I to put my relationship with God before other relationships, but I am to put God before my own fleshly desires. I have been called to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him.  Since I started First Place 4 Health in February, I have become increasingly aware of my selfish desires. I choose the French fries rather than the salad.  I choose to sleep an extra 45 minutes or to watch reruns of "NCIS" rather than go to the gym. Why do I do these things? Because my flesh is screaming louder than the still small voice of my Savior and because I choose to listen to my screaming flesh. It's a choice that I make. I want to do the right thing...to make the right choices, but I don't always do it. I can so relate to the Apostle Paul when he says in Romans 7:15 "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." Paul does such a marvelous job describing the war between the flesh and the spirit. He ends the chapter with "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"  Ahhh, but then comes chapter 8 which begins with "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  What beautiful words! Even though I make wrong choices, I am not condemned. Even those I sin every day, I am not condemned! Praise be to God!

Choosing to make God first in my life every day requires being intentional and disciplined. I don't think one can walk with Christ as He calls us and not be disciplined. It takes discipline to get up early and read the Bible and pray. It takes discipline to choose God over flesh. It takes discipline to say "no" to the sex outside of marriage, alcohol, movies/TV shows that glorify the very sins that sent Jesus to the cross. It takes discipline to get up Sunday after Sunday, sometimes in the middle of a tropical storm, and go to church. Yes, it takes discipline, but the rewards and blessings are so worth it! God has a wonderful plan for my life (and for yours!). I will discover that plan only when I put Him first.  So, on this Friday, make the commitment to always T.G.I.F.!

Blessings,
Teresa