First Place - Jesus

WHO HAS MY HEART

There's someone else, my husband dear

Who takes first place inside my heart 

At number two you must appear

My second love, that's now your part

The thought's so new, I must admit

There's someone else, my husband dear

I begin to grin as I commit

My destiny is now secure

My spouse looks up, but not in fear

He hears my joy as I express

There's someone else my husband dear

My first love goes to Jesus

My husband laughs at such a change

Although it might seem kind of strange

Next come these words I'm thrilled to hear

There's someone else my wifey dear... 

© Tavane Nelson, Oct. 27 2017

When I decided to follow Jesus, I was thirty years old. I was troubled by the bible verse in Luke 14 below because it sounded like Jesus was to have first place in my life, even above that of my husband and children. That sounded impossible! The first commandment also tells us we are not to worship any other gods and the second commandment says our God is a jealous God. To me that included the trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, as they are three in one. How could I ever put my husband who is flesh and blood, below that of God, whom I could not see or touch?   But one day it just all sort of clicked in and I was so excited I couldn't wait to tell my husband. I wish I had a picture to show when I told him he was no longer first in my life!  He knew I was teasing him, but the momentary bewilderment was priceless. Walking out this truth consistently has proven to be much more difficult, and I haven't always succeeded at putting Jesus first. It's a little more complicated than I first thought all those years back. It meant questioning where I spent all my time, resources, and finances. It meant embracing a difficult ongoing pruning process. But just like my relationship with my husband, my relationship with God doesn't grow unless I spend time with Him and get to know Him! At times it will also cost something as I follow God's leading and Jesus' example.

Luke 14:25-28

 Now great crowds accompanied Jesus, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

1 Peter 2:21

 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.