Who is your Number One?
One is an important number.
Think about all the “ones” in your life: your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, your home, your work, and even your pets. We all have people and things that are meaningful and special to us. How we value them—and how we spend our time with them—is just as important as having them in our lives.
But who is your number one?
My number one is Jesus Christ.
When we attended a more traditional denominational church, one of my favorite parts of Sunday worship was standing with the entire congregation to say the Nicene Creed. There was something powerful about many voices speaking the same truth together. Its opening words have always stayed with me:
“We believe in one God,the Father, the Almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all that is, seen and unseen.We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,the only Son of God.”
The word one appears in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”John 3:16 (NIV)
The invitation is simple: believe in Jesus. Learning to place Him first, however, requires daily trust and surrender.
Putting Jesus first was not something I woke up and accomplished in one day. It took time. Honestly, it is still something I must choose every day. It can feel strange to say that God comes before my husband, the man I love more than anything in this world.. He comes before my children, my parents, siblings, friends, work, clients, and even my pets.
But putting Jesus first does not mean I love any of them less. It means I allow Him to shape the way I love them.
Choosing God first was not something I fully understood when I was younger. God has patiently taught me what it means to love Him, believe in Him, surrender my plans, and trust His direction later in my life. I am grateful He never stopped reaching for me while I was learning.
No matter what I am doing or where I am, God is with me. He helps me through every part of my day. I can bring Him my worries, choices, conversations, mistakes, and celebrations. Because I put Him first, I can become a better human being for my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my clients—even my pets.
When I try to make myself number one, I begin relying on my own understanding. I become focused on my plans, my timing, and what I believe should happen. But when I place Jesus first, I remember that I am not responsible for controlling everything.
He leads.I follow.
This is the heart of J.O.Y.—Jesus Over You.
It is not about believing that you do not matter. You matter deeply to God. It is about trusting that when Jesus is placed above your fears, plans, desires, and need for control, everything else can begin to fall into its proper place.
I am not number one. He is. He will always be my One.
Who is yours?
Questions to Ponder
Who or what receives the most time, attention, and energy in your life?
Is Jesus truly first, or is He one of many important parts of your life?
What makes it difficult for you to surrender control and allow Him to lead?
How could putting Jesus first change the way you love your family and serve others?
What is one decision you can invite God into today?
Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, You are the one true God, and You gave Your one and only Son so that I could have eternal life. Thank You for loving me so completely. Help me place Jesus first, not only through my words, but through the way I spend my time, make decisions, love my family, and serve others. When I put myself, my plans, or my fears before You, gently guide me back. Teach me to trust Your direction and surrender what I cannot control. Shape me into a better spouse, parent, friend, and servant by helping me live each day with Jesus over me.
Amen.
Share Your Joy Today
The Nicene Creed is a historic profession of Christian faith. This Episcopal wording comes from The Book of Common Prayer (1979), Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, pages 358–359.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Reference: The Book of Common Prayer (1979), Holy Eucharist: Rite Two, pp. 358–359
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