When God comes 2nd

God’s really been messing with me lately- and I think I just got a handle today on why.

I was sitting in my room processing the days events when I kept stumbling on some inspiration that was tumbling around my head. The thought occurred to me, and so I quickly twittered,  that

“U are not a byproduct of the world that God loves because… U are THE product put in the created world so God could love you. Walk in it.”

I went downstairs to grab a cup of coffee and began to sift through that thought. God began to convict me in my heart that I have been living as a byproduct of the world instead of a product of His righteousness. For example, I race around like a maniac more often than not because the world has given me deadlines and hurdles that I HAVE to deal with. I began letting my time with God slip because the world was putting too much pressure on me. I gave up giving God the time He desired to continue to form me and instead let the world decide what I was like. It’s such an easy pit to fall in! As a college student I have the excuse that this kind of craziness is normal! Oh, but it’s such a lie. The difference is that I am not formed by this world. I was formed by the Lord. I have to stop letting the world take over the Creators place in my life. I truly have to stop giving my first moments to the world’s priorities or I will never be able to be a servant in God’s greater kingdom!

Romans 12:2 is an obvious pick for this lesson,

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

I shudder to think that this verse was repeated over and over and over again in my young Sunday school years, throughout my life in my house, and even now in Church, but who knew that you could so easily repeat it word for word but not truly understand it’s application?

Then comes 1 John 2:15

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Did I really trip up and start to wonder why my day’s seemed so unfruitful as if I didn’t already know the answer? Suddenly I’m reminded of the adage of the frog who’s placed in a pot of water and doesn’t know he’s going to die because the fire below is turned on at such a low setting that very slowly his body temperature changes with the environment until it’s too late to jump out. If I started to wonder and God convicted me of this truth I would have, in all reality, probably said out loud “I don’t love the world.” But what follower of God really goes around saying “I LOVE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT”? Actions speak louder than words, my friend. You see, it’s more than your first moments that matter to God. Think of the person you love, the kind of fiery passionate and devoted love, and what it’s like to want to wake up to hear their voice. Think of how excited you are just to get a glimpse into his or her thoughts, opinions, perspective, humor or heartfelt sorrow. You jump at the chance! I bet that you would even put off or invite him/her along to appointments, study sessions, shopping trips, etc just to KNOW that person better and spend another moment in conversation with Him/Her. THAT is what God wants from you- He wants to be your FIRST love. He wants you to hang on His every word, take Him with you during the day, and fight for Him in the quiet moments when no one else is looking. Living on the other side of that, when you live for that test that’s coming up tomorrow, change all of your Church plans because the world has put too much pressure on you, skip quiet moments with God in trade for busy moments at a coffee shop, than you are putting the world first. You are saying, in fact, that the world is your first love and Jesus comes 2nd to the world. This is what loving the world looks like, and this is what I’m going to put a stop to.

I am going to walk in the truth that God created me so that He could love me. I am going to show the world Who has my heart, and I will not be trampled down by the feet of men. I am going to step into the role God has created for me, to be utterly and completely in love with Him.

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