pri·or·i·tize
v. pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing, pri·or·i·tiz·es Usage Problem
v.tr. To arrange or deal with in order of importance.
v.intr. To put things in order of importancehttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/prioritization
So that leads me to how I prioritize my relationship with God. Now I can start this rationally, or emotionally, even theoretically. Instead I think I will do it using the only source of truth I can see. The Bible.
Matthew 6:33 (NIV) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (NKJV) "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. {30} "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice {31} '(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.
1 Chronicles 16:10-11 (NKJV) Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! {11} Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
1 Chronicles 28:9 (NKJV) "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NKJV) "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. {15} "Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.
Ezra 8:22 (NKJV) For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, "The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him."
Psalms 10:4 (NKJV) The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.
Psalms 27:7-10 (NKJV) Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. {8} When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek." {9} Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. {10} When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
Psalms 32:8-10 (NKJV) I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. {9} Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you. {10} Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.
Psalms 34:8-10 (NKJV) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! {9} Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. {10} The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Psalms 46:10 (NKJV) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
Proverbs 28:5 (NKJV) Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all.
Isaiah 45:2-6 (NKJV) 'I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. {3} I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. {4} For Jacob My servant's sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. {5} I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, {6} That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other;
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NKJV) Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. {7} Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NKJV) Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; {24} But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 24:7 (NKJV) 'Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
Daniel 11:32 (NKJV) "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
Hosea 6:3 (NKJV) Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
Hosea 10:12 (NKJV) Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Acts 17:27-28 (NKJV) "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; {28} "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
Ephesians 1:17-21 (NKJV) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, {18} the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, {19} and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power {20} which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, {21} far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I know that's a lot of verses. I also know that over half of them tell me to Seek God. Everywhere, everyday, every minute, in everything. I also know that before becoming saved I had no drive to seek God. Now tho... I want to seek God first.. He promises so much in return. Yet that's kind of a selfish reason to do something - analyzing those promises to get something in return. Yet that's what relationships are all about, right? Giving and taking, sacrificing and receiving?
The other half of the verses talk to me about trust and knowledge. Say I am going to seek a destination, then I have to get a map or directions to obtain the knowledge to get there. Then I have to trust my source of information (the map/directions) to make to trip successful.
Likewise with God. If I am going to seek Him then I have to use a reliable source to gain the knowledge I need to be able to trust Him. To make our relationship complete.
So in order to prioritize my relationship with God, He plainly tells me many times over in the Bible that I must seek Him first. And THEN He will mark my path and make my way for me. I can't go ahead on my own and then expect Him to come in and fix everything.. I can't mark my path and make my way and then seek Him.
Now does that mean I need to seek God to tie my shoes? To pay my electric bill? To answer the phone?
Let's answer each individually..
tying my shoes - normally no, BUT if I hurt my back and can't bend over...
paying my electric - normally no, BUT if I lose my job and have no income....
answer the phone - normally no, BUT I need that job to pay my rent/electric, to buy food...
Prioritizing.
And really, How long does it take to seek God?
Acts 17:27-28 (NKJV) "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; {28} "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
He is not far from me.. ever.. well if something is not far away from me then a matter of minutes? an hour? if I spend 1 hour a day seeking God, reading my Bible, praying, listening to sermons, doing Bible studies... just 1 hour.. 365 hours a year... I can only imagine how God would respond to me. Anyone out there willing to try? I am. And if you decide to let me know. I would love to hear about the blessings and amazing works God does in your life. I know what He has already done in mine. And I know He isn't finished and I can't wait to see what else He has in store for me..
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