Practical Ways to Put God First

I will praise you, Ο Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.

Psalm 9:1

If Jesus is to be the Lord, then worship must have priority.

Do you worship with all your heart? If we are honest, we will probably say, “It’s hard in our family because there is so much going on.” If worship is going to be important, then preparation for worship will become very important. Consider the typical Sunday morning routine. You get up, fix and eat breakfast, shave or put on your makeup, fix your hair, iron your clothes, put on your dress or your coat and tie, pile the kids in the car, and barely make it to the service.

How much time did you spend preparing your heart for the worship of God? You had to get your face ready—what about your heart? You had to iron your pants, but did you take time to iron the wrinkles out of your soul?

How do you think God feels when He paid the price of His Son’s blood, and His people come in late and unprepared to worship Him?

Your attitude changes how you come to worship. When your heart is prepared, you will come eagerly, joyfully, expectantly. All too often, our hearts are not in it. We sing “There Is a Redeemer” (I wonder how the Chiefs are going to do today?), “Great Is the Lord” (It sure is getting hot in here), “When We All Get to Heaven” (I wonder if I should put my money in cryptocurrency?).

We come to church busy, hurried, and worried. Maybe we come angry. I am convinced the devil stirs up trouble in Christian families on Sunday morning so he can distract their hearts from worshiping God. Worshiping with a whole heart means we lay aside a critical spirit and join with God’s people in praising the Lord. What is the first and greatest commandment? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength, then your neighbor as yourself.” It is not church work first and then worship. It is worshiping God and loving Him first, and out of that flows everything else.

Lord, help me to worship You with a whole heart today. Amen.

1. How much time did you spend preparing your heart for worship last Sunday?

2. Name the worries and concerns that keep you from focusing on God.

3. Spend a few moments giving those things to the Lord.

For more devotions by Ray Pritchard, check out his book, Finding Peace in the Psalms, HERE.