His Purposes and Our Priorities

What goes through your mind in the morning before your feet hit the floor? Is it a mental listing of all that awaits you this day? Is it a lingering rehash of the today that ended as you fell asleep last night? Perhaps it is a stir-pot of emotions, whether they synergize into empowering optimism, conspire toward debilitating fear, or blend in some measure of both. Personally, a fresh to-do list and an urgency to conquer its demands greet me anew each morning as the alarm falls silent. Eager to accomplish, it is easy to bound out of bed and beeline toward first-things-first, pursuing my passions in my strength. Some such days end with the satisfaction of completion, while others draw to a close with too few checkmarks on the checklist, yet in all self-directed days, these two most vital things I carelessly leave behind—God’s purposes and His power.

To a people stirred to faith by the fresh news of the gospel and imploring, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”¹ This Holy Spirit, this gift from God, elevates our perspectives and straightens our priorities. He guides us in all truth, for instance, making known to us the words and ways of Christ,² so we can live our days effectively in newfound wisdom. When we open ourselves to the Spirit, He puts God’s desires in our heart³ and in our mind⁴, then His purposes become our purposes, and our life has meaning. He blesses each one of us individually with Spiritual gifts⁵—wisdom, knowledge, faith, discernment and others—and we go forth collectively in His power.⁶ Through the Spirit, God pours out his love into our soul⁷, and throughout a lifetime of todays He steadily transforms us into the likeness of Christ⁸ with ever-increasing glory⁹. Our days change, for we ourselves are changed, and our lives bear fruit that lasts for eternity¹⁰. In the Spirit, God’s purposes become our purposes, and before our feet hit the floor, our days become His.

Father, slow me down today and redirect me, that your purposes would supersede my purposes and my plans be subjected to yours. Grace me to see your Spirit at work all around me and deep within me, that I would join Him and bring you glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Christ in me is wisdom.

¹ Acts 2:37, 38
² John 16:13-15
³ Ezekiel 36:26, 27
⁴ Romans 8:5
⁵ 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
⁶ Acts 1:8
⁷ Romans 5:5
⁸ 2 Thessalonians 2:13
⁹ 2 Corinthians 3:18
¹⁰ John 15:16