“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9 NIV

Isaiah 7:9 provides an important reminder regarding priorities in life. Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

The first and over-arching priority in our lives must be the Lord and our relationship with Him. If that is not right, we can scarcely be surprised when other areas of our lives are out of kilter. As an example, why should we be surprised when our relationships with others are troubled if our relationship with the Lord is not our number one priority?

That is not to say that when we are right with the Lord, everything else in our lives will be smooth sailing. Life is fraught with difficulties. But let us be sure that they are not troubles of our own making as a result of neglecting our relationship with the Lord.

How do we prioritize our relationship with the Lord? The ordinary means of grace, of course. Let us:

Prioritize God’s Word. Read it and hear it preached.

Prioritize prayer. It is not how long or how beautifully we pray, it is that we do pray—everyday.

Prioritize fellowship. Share our lives with other believers by serving, encouraging, and being encouraged by one another.