Entrusted: Your First 35 Days as a Steward

Day 16 of 35 · Week 3: Stewardship of Time and Discipline

First Things First

Jesus had the busiest schedule of anyone in His day. Crowds followed Him everywhere. People were sick, desperate, and demanding.

Yet Mark records something simple. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, went off to a solitary place, and prayed.

Before the crowds, the Father. Before the work, the relationship.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His followers not to worry about what they will eat or wear. Instead, seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, and everything they need will be given to them as well.

First is a time word. It is about order. God is not asking for leftovers at the end of an exhausted day. He is asking to be first.

For many people, that means the morning. Before the phone. Before the news. Before the email. Even ten minutes with God before the day begins can reshape everything that follows.

If mornings are impossible in your season of life, that is fine. The principle is not about the clock. It is about priority. Give God the first and best of your attention, whenever that is for you.

What you put first shapes everything that comes after.

Pray

Father, I want You to be first, not last. Before my phone, my work, and my worries, I want to seek You. Help me build a habit of meeting with You before the day takes over. Amen.

Today's Scripture (NIV)

• Mark 1:35
• Matthew 6:31-34