January 25 - First Place

 Read today’s texts first: Exodus 12 & 13; Psalms 21; Acts 1

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The secret to winning in life is to give first place to God.
“When you lose your life for my sake, you find it!” JESUS

I love to be first, which shows up far too often when I play tennis. My reading this morning, though, was about God’s need to be first.  To commemorate their deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites were to dedicate their firstborn, including livestock, to God from that moment on (13:12).  This was to become their simple secret to success.  When they come up against the self-absorbed heathen nations waiting for them, these God-honouring Hebrews would prevail.  Conversely, when they put themselves first, they would become as impotent as everyone else around them.

In the Exodus reading today God’s people, the Israelites, begin their sojourn to the Promised Land. Coincidentally, our New Testament passage in Acts marks the beginning of the same kind of journey for God’s people, the church.  Both groups are about to experience unimaginable conflicts and the only way they will prevail in the end is through God’s power.  And the only way they have access to His resources is by putting Him first in everything they do.  Both groups begin with prayer and consecration, and once they receive their directives from God they move out.

I’ve read ahead before so I know what’s coming.  When God’s people remember this simple rule for success, they succeed (makes sense!).  When they don’t, they don’t (makes sense again)!  “Lord, may I learn from the past stories of Your people to put You first.  It feels good to be first, but it feels even better to put You first and to give You all the glory for the wins ahead!”