‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.’ Matthew 6:33(NLT)
‘“You must not have any other god but me.’ Exodus 20:3(NLT)
‘Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘ Matthew 22:37-39(NLT)
‘“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ‘ John 15:5(NLT)
‘They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.’ 2 Corinthians 8:5(NLT)
Jonathan and Michelle have been married for 10 years and feel they’re at their best while serving others and laughing around the table with friends.
Jonathan:
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Seems simple. I don’t worship gods of other religions. Of course I don’t bow down to a fictitious higher power or follow the teachings of other faiths. Check. I’ve got that commandment on lock. And what does this have to do with marriage?
Not so fast. Try reading it like this, “have no other thing or no other person before me.” Things I can easily put above Christ: my marriage, my job, my kids, my health, and more. All good things. Until they move God out of the top spot. Then they’re gods. Here’s what I’ve realized: when the demands of life feel overwhelming, it’s often because I’ve put something or somebody before God.
Putting nothing before Christ isn’t easy, but it’s for your good. When your priorities are in order—God first and marriage second—there’s not just harmony in your marriage, but there’s a deep peace, comfort, and spiritual confidence in you that can’t be stopped.
Michelle:
Too often, I find myself realizing I’ve accidentally replaced God as #1 and Jonathan as my #2 with other things simply by lacking clear priorities! I’ve even put my favorite hobbies first!
Putting God first means intentional time with Him, reading His Word, seeking Him first above everything. Everything! And it doesn’t just affect me. When my priorities are wrong, my needs aren’t met, and I end up looking to Jonathan to meet them. Basically, I ask him to put me first. That’s simply not fair. Only God can fill my needs completely. Thankfully, I’m learning and relearning my marriage can only be as strong as I am strong in the Lord. And putting God first is the only way that works!
Pray: God, what have I put first? Second? Third? Will You give me the strength to have the conversations and make the decisions I need to get my priorities in order? Amen.
from The Vow