Digging Deeper – The First and the Last

Let’s come back to something we talked about on day one: the first and last commandments.

I only recently noticed that the first and last commandments (you could call them the bread of the Ten Commandment sandwich) feel closely connected. All the other commandments have outward evidence that reveals whether or not you are obeying them. They also have tangible impacts on the people around you. If you create an idol, people can see it and might even be tempted to join you in worship. If you lie, murder, steal, or commit adultery, other people will eventually find out.

But putting God first and refusing to covet are different. You can claim to be obeying these commandments whether you actually are or not. Ultimately, observing these two commandments is between you and God.

We are called to put God first. When we covet, however, we place the things we desire ahead of Him. At its core, coveting reflects a lack of trust. Perhaps we believe God is holding out on us or giving others something better. I am not saying that having possessions—or even wanting them—is necessarily wrong. The problem comes when we want something more than we want God.

So, the first commandment can be summarized as, “Don’t put anyone above God,” and the last commandment as, “Don’t put anything before God.” God wants us to find our deepest and eternal satisfaction in Him instead of trying to fill our hearts with the things of this world.

I love this quote by John Piper from Living in the Light: “When the truth is suppressed, and the light is rejected, and the glory of God is disregarded, something always takes their place. The human heart hates a vacuum. We may never merely leave God because we value him little; we always exchange God for what we value more.”

Take a moment and consider your heart. Is there anyone or anything you are placing above God?