The Number One Spot

I bought an alarm clock a few days ago.  A basic alarm clock that many of us probably had to use back before we had iPhones.  I bought this alarm clock in hopes that it will help me to stop being so dependent on my phone as an alarm.  The dependency I have had on my phone has caused me to develop poor habits such as scrolling through social media right before going to sleep and opening up social media before doing anything else upon waking up.  Our last thoughts before going to sleep and our first thoughts upon waking up should be directed to God.  Using my phone as an alarm had become a barrier to my relationship with God.  When we notice anything that is distracting us and preventing us from growing closer to God, we must make a change.  We must ask ourselves, “What do I really value?  Who or what has the number one spot in my life?”

When we stop and ask ourselves these kinds of questions, we may become uncomfortable as we look deep within ourselves and face reality.  There are so many other areas of our lives that may easily make their way to the forefront of our lives.  But what it really comes down to is our priorities.

We all fall short of what God is asking of us.  And we will as long as we are on this Earth.  But if we truly have the desire to put the Lord first in our lives and strive to do so in the choices we make and the way we live, God sees that.  When we wake up each morning and even as we move throughout our days, we should ask God, with a sincere heart, to give us the grace to choose Him over and above all.  He will help us if we ask and as long as we are committed to growing, changing, and being challenged, no matter how difficult it may be.

Each day, we have countless opportunities to choose God, whether we realize it or not.  When we decide to speak kind words to a co-worker rather than harsh words of criticism or gossip, we are choosing God.  When someone cuts us off in traffic and we stay calm and say nothing, rather than get angry and honk our horns, we are choosing God.  When we turn off that inappropriate TV show and open up a good spiritual book, we are choosing God.  When we let someone go in front of us in a line or give up a selfish desire, we are choosing God.  
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We either choose God or choose something other than God in how we live our lives.  And if our relationship with God is the number one priority in our lives, we will do everything we can to remove all that is hindering us from growing closer to Him.  

Lord, thank you for loving us unconditionally, even when we fail.  Help us to choose you always.  Give us the desire to love you more than anyone or anything else in our lives.  We give you our hearts.  Remove all that is distracting us from knowing you more deeply.  Amen.