God’s Priorities or Ours?

“Focus”, said the box “on Your Highest Priorities!”

The self-improvement course sat among the toys and games on a shelf in the resale shop…

There were two possible reasons the course was on a shelf in a resale shop…

1. The original purchaser had become such a master of the course that he or she no longer needed it…
2. The box was never opened…

I was going to take a look at the course content…

 But sure enough-the seals had never been broken.

It’s pretty easy to guess what the course said…

1. Make a list of everything you have to do today…
2. Prioritize each item from one to five…
3. Cross out the fives…
4. Ignore the two’s, three’s and four’s…
5. Focus only on the items numbered “one”!
   Re-prioritize those items on the five-point scale…
   Keep repeating until you have only one item left to complete.
   Attack that item!

Typical 21st century advice from a 21st century success guru.

Can you picture one of those gurus advising Jesus?

“I’ve been looking at your calendar and have a few suggestions…”

“’Sermon on the Mount’-lots of people-high impact.”  

“I’d rather see it at a major venue — maybe the Colosseum—but let’s leave it on the calendar.”

“I’m not so sure about this entry…”

“’Dinner with disciples – wash their feet…’”

“About that ‘wash their feet’ thing… that’s really low impact.”

“Let’s hire somebody to do that for you, so you can focus on the high priority tasks…”

But Jesus set his priorities by God’s standards, not by the world’s or by what would benefit Him in this world…

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, Mathew 6:19

What if we did the same thing?

 What if we simply surrendered to God and let Him set our priorities?

There’s an old Methodist prayer…

I am no longer my own, but Thine.

Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt;

Put me to doing, put me to suffering;

Let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee,

exalted for Thee or brought low for thee;

Let me be full, let me be empty;

let me have all things, let me have nothing;

I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Thou art mine,

and I am Thine.

What if we truly lived that prayer?

Then we would have true riches of the spirit…

Then we would be focused on our highest priority…

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  Matthew 22:37