I Was Here First   

He came the first time to die; He is coming again to raise the dead. When He came the first time, they questioned whether He was King; the next time the world will know that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. The first time He wore a crown of thorns; the next time He will be wearing a crown of glory. The first time He came in poverty; the next time He is coming in power. The first time He had an escort of angels; the next time He will come with ten thousands of His saints. The first time He came in meekness; He is coming again in majesty. Adrian Rogers

I went to pick up a prescription and the majority of the time I am like most people. I want to get in and get out so I take the drive thru instead of going inside.  Well on this day I pull up to the pharmacy window.  There are actually two windows and there is another car parked in the other drive thru.  The other lady in the second drive thru was there before me.  The clerk didn’t realize it so she went to help me first.

Well the lady in the other car took exception to that.  She presses the button on the intercom and proceeds to yell at the lady that she was here first.  It made me stop and think.  Why do we always have the need to be first?  We race to be first.  First place occupies a great deal of our time.  We see it in car racing, school classrooms, lunch lines, fast food restaurants and all types of sporting events.

Why do we have this urgent need to be first? Sometimes I think it is because we don’t want to be last.  We want to be the best at something.  The reality is God created each of us uniquely different.  When you read about Jesus in the Bible it is interesting how you could describe His life on earth.   

Jesus lived a life where He wasn’t first, he was last.  He put everyone ahead of himself.  He served.  He didn’t just serve every so often, He served continuously until His death on the cross.  He didn’t stand in front of a podium and tell us how to live, He led by example.  Jesus didn’t have selfish ambition.  Even though He was the one true King, He didn’t exactly live like one.  He didn’t try to be the first at anything and He didn’t care about His reputation.  Jesus didn’t force others to love God.  Most important of all he was obedient. 

When I look at the very characteristics that Jesus portrayed while on earth, I don’t really reflect much of what he was all about. There are times when I want to be first or in front. I want to be better than that.       

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, with You in my life I want to be last, humble, serving, as a child, the least of these without selfish ambition and to lead by example but most of all to be obedient to You.  I will need Your help in all these things as I am a work in progress.   

Scripture:   Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Mark 9:33-37