“Who’s on first?”

Sometimes in the first hour of my day, I’m tempted to pick up the book I was reading the night before. But I’ve realized that I want to hear Adonai’s Word first, then the words of others about Him. Other words should come last, and what I read should never be something He would find offensive.

People have sometimes made fun of me because of my limited choices in viewing and reading. (My Netflix and Amazon watchlists should probably be under the Kids icon.Well, minus the history, travel, and classic authors.) However, Adonai tells us that our bodies are the temple of His Holy Spirit; He actually lives in us. Just because that fact limits our entertainment choices, doesn’t imply we just have to go with the flow of our current culture.

I am distressed that I can’t watch something uplifting on Amazon now, without being subjected to dreadful advertisements first. God just asked me the following question after I wrote that line: “Why aren’t you doing something about it?” I haven’t contacted Amazon, have you? What if all Christian subscribers did?  This is part of why values have degraded so far. We all think there’s nothing we can do....that that’s just the way things are.

When I started this post, it was about listening to God’s words first in the morning. Did He just hijack my post?  Well, He is the One Who initiated the blog, despite my resistance. So He can do whatever He wants with it. In the end, it really is the same message. Who and what is more important? Pursuing the rabbit trails of distractions that lead away from time with Him? Being concerned about the thoughts and opinions of other people, over and above His? Making sure I am entertained for hours, no matter how distressing the content would be to Him?

When you feel that prompting in your spirit to take advantage of the “off” button...or to not take advantage of the “on”, don’t override it. I have that very struggle, but when I compare that temptation with the will and pleasure of the One Who has given His all for me, and is warning me not to do something damaging to my soul and spirit, then there’s only one obvious choice.

I listened to a sermon yesterday in which the Bible translation of obedience was loyalty. It caused me to ponder Scriptures I knew well, in a different way. Where is our true loyalty...whether it’s first thing in the morning...or late at night? To whose voice are we listening and where is it leading us? Whom are we choosing to follow? If it means tossing a book to the side, removing the power cord from our devices, or even kicking our foots through the screens, if necessary....where will our loyalty lie?

It is not a matter of legalism. (Some people, due to circumstance and situation, aren’t able to use ‘firstfruits’ time in this way.  Yet the first fruits of their hearts are His, and He knows it.)  And, anyway, who would want forced dutiful ‘love’ and loyalty? I would never want my children or spouse to feel they had to hug me out of duty first thing in the morning. Would you?  It’s a matter of the heart, and He can always read ours. The question to me is, does our true longing and loyalty rest on His?

*Just had to laugh at myself, because I realized that I wrote this post  first, before my prayer time, because the thought above came at the beginning of my 'porch time' with Him.  I could hear His chuckle....