Jesus Christ is to be more in our lives than just a tack-on to our prayers, ‘in Jesus’ name, Amen.’ We sing His name in church, and read that name aloud when we quote the Bible, but does He have any place of prominence in our lives really?

We are all bombarded with the affairs of our lives. We have work projects that must get done by a strict deadline. School schedules force us to provide rides for the kids, and make desserts when it’s our time to provide the snacks. Homework pressures tend to pass from the student to the parent in varying degrees of frustration. At the end of the day, where have we placed Jesus?

I have tried to imagine what life must have been like in the Garden before the fall. Adam and Eve walked and talked with God daily. It didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary for them to simply carry on a conversation as if it were perfectly normal. Such an event would be heralded by news channels around the world today; God and man conversing audibly and visibly…what a thought!

It is likely that Adam’s mind was always filled with the consciousness of his God. He could call out to God any time of day or night and enjoy an intimate conversation. Sure, Adam had pressures; he had to give all the animals names, which would have been a monumental task. He was also responsible for the garden work. He undoubtedly had plenty to occupy his time. If you were to ask Adam, however, he would be quick to tell you that God was first and foremost in his mind.

Plunge ahead through the millennia until today. There are so many ways we can be distracted. At times, our brain seems to take a mini ‘time-out,’ just to keep up with everything being thrown at it. It seems like everything in our lives wants to take priority. None of those pressures share well with the others. By the time we fall into bed at night, we are mentally and physically exhausted.

The problem is, our Lord and Savior not only wants us to put Him first, He deserves that position. Jesus’ death on the cross was certainly sufficient to deserve putting Him first; but the life that He offers us in His Spirit is so rewarding and rich, that we are foolish allowing anything to usurp that number one position.

Paul wrote in …

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Paul told that church, and us by extension, that in all things; in everything that wants to steal our attention, Christ is to have first place.

Let’s check our priorities, and make sure that not a day goes by without keeping Jesus first and foremost.