Is Jesus Foremost In Your Life?

Leonardo da Vinci was a wonderful painter, and one of his masterpieces was 'The Last Supper', which has been called the most perfect composition in the history of painting in all ages. It was painted on a convent wall, and the artist put all his talent into it.

Even the cup the Lord used was perfect, an ornate golden vessel richly set with jewels. When he completed the picture he admitted a few friends to see it. 'What a wonderful cup!' they exclaimed, 'How it sparkles ! Such a cup was never painted before.'

The genius immediately splashed some dark color over the glittering chalice and made it look an ordinary cheap vessel. The glory of Christ, and not the beauty of the cup, must be the central object of his great work. In all things He must be pre-eminent.  - (Colossians 1:18)

During the course of our busy daily lives we prioritize many different things. For instance, we make sure our families are up, dressed, fed and out the door every weekday. We stop for that crucial coffee on our way in to work. We are on the phone all day long making and breaking important appointments. We make sure not to forget to stop by the grocery store on the way home from work.

I could go on ad infinitum but I think you get the picture. Our life is full of things that are taken care of according to their importance. It's true that we each have unique items which demand our attention first. However, for the most part many daily tasks are pretty similar across the board, with only a slight variation added here and there.

I'm not going to judge or criticize anyone. We have all done these things and then some. What I will do is pose a few questions for thought. As you go about your daily life, do you ever stop to think about Jesus? I mean, really take time out of your day to think about Him. Or, does any thought of Him get brushed aside because of your busy schedule? Be honest.

I know, it's terrible to confront this. But, I'm not trying to point the finger at anyone. I admit that I've been guilty of this myself. We just get busy or carried away (or both) with our day that we don't give Jesus the attention He deserves. Our day may start with good intentions, but we let it get away from us.

Do you recall the two sisters Mary and Martha in Luke 10: 38-42? They welcomed Jesus into their home and Martha immediately got busy preparing dinner for Jesus. As she was taking care of this, her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to him teach.

Martha became ticked off with her sister for not helping her. Therefore, she complained to Jesus, "'Do You see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me." Jesus very calmly answered, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her." Luke 10: 38-42 (NLT)

What was the deal here? Well, Martha made the mistake of focusing on herself rather than on Jesus. Meanwhile, Mary was totally focused on Jesus and what he was teaching. Jesus said that she had chosen the good, and right thing.

We too sometimes forget what's truly important, and focus on all the wrong things. Even so, it's very important for us to focus on the right thing daily. It's not that hard to change things around. It'll take a little effort; a little focused effort on your part, that is.

Finally, I have a few more questions for you. As you go about your daily business, are you worried and/or troubled about  things that aren't really important? Or, are you focused on Jesus, the one thing that is truly important?

Granted, there are many situations that are essential to our daily existence. But not one of these is more important than Jesus. Like Mary, we should place our focus on Jesus and His teachings. By doing so, you will find your life enriched in innumerable ways. Do the good and right thing. Make Jesus number one in your life!

Scripture: Colossians 3:2; Romans 8:5; Proverbs 16:3; Matthew 24:13; Psalm 86:11

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me keep my focus on You each and every day of my life. Amen

God bless you,

Chrissie