Most people have daily routines; they can be great. Maybe it's brewing a cup of coffee and opening the Bible for some time with the Lord first thing in the morning or notching out a few minutes before bed to read a favorite book. But, whatever our routines become, they become routines because we set specific priorities. Priority is simply the value we place on any given thing. We prioritize everything whether we know it or not; it's how people are wired.
As we seek God's face, we must ensure our priorities are in the proper order. Jesus isn't just the highest priority in our lives. He is the source of life. Without Him, we are without hope and have no purpose. In the Gospel of John, Jesus teaches that we should depend on Him as the priority of our lives-both in this life and the life to come.
5 I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. 6 If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire.
John 15:5–6 (CEV)
When Jesus spoke these words, He knew His followers would face persecution and even death because of their faith in Him. The only way for them to survive eternally was to make Jesus the priority of their lives. His purposes became their purpose because they were joined with Christ. Jesus told them that when they joined Him, they would produce fruit in their lives. More than that, Jesus says that they would be measured by the fruit produced in their lives. The fruit would prove that Jesus and His work were a priority in their lives. We are also measured by the fruit produced in our lives.
When we step back, look at our routines, evaluate our priorities, and measure the fruit of our lives, would Jesus say we are connected to Him like a healthy branch? Or are we a dried-up branch with no good works that prove we are connected to the one who has done good work in us?
Seeking God is a lifelong journey, but it starts by making Him the highest priority of our lives. He has to be part of our daily routines. The truth is that we are all going to have ups and downs in our journey. The number one thing we can do is cling to Jesus, the source of life. We need His daily infusion of love and grace. It's the only way we can bear fruit for His kingdom.
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