Colossians 1:16-18 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
James MacDonald says, "You will never experience the fullness of joy that you were created to know until Jesus Christ has first place in every area of your life." This statement carries the question, "Is He?" Is Jesus first place in every area of my life? My answer is simple yet complex. I would for sure say that my desire is to have Christ first place in every area of my life. However reality is that this is true from time to time because of my lack of surrender in a given area of my life. At times I hold to tightly to things or people or situations and not allow Christ to be first in them. Call it a lack of trust or faith or whatever, but bottom line is that I am selfish and a sinner who spirit is willing but flesh is weak. However I think the important thing here is not perfection but as Paul said in Philippians, "straining toward what is ahead." Am I straining to move forward in my relationship with Christ, am I straining toward Christ being first place in my life. While I agree with James on experiencing the fullness of joy I am not sure that is possible here on earth. That fullness will become fully experienced in Heaven in the very presence of Jesus and with sin completely absent. Today may I strive to make Christ first in every area of life, may I strain toward being completely aware of areas that He is not and then strain to make Him first.
Father I need your strength, because in my own strength I will fail. I long for Christ to be first in order to experience the fullness of joy that comes from following Him.
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