Plan A. Number One.

The second question posed in my blog of 30th December was, 

'What is the most important thing you plan to learn this year?'

This answer could well have made an entrance during my last blog post about things I am saying Yes to this year. The most important thing I plan to learn this year is how to keep God in the Number One spot in my life and how that affects my world around me and all that I do.

I listened to a talk by Bill Johnson late last year during my commute to School in Kent. In the message, I heard Bill challenge a belief I am sure many of us have or have had in our Christian lives.

I was discipled to believe that in life, my priorities in my walk with God should be: God at number one, then family at number two, followed by work at three and rounding off with other people/issues and myself. What Bill suggested was that as God fully takes the number one slot in our lives, there is then no need for numbers two, three or four etc. because all that will fall into its right place as we seek God and His priorities. Jesus didn't put aside His relationship with His Father in order to go and spend time with His disciples or give a sermon. He did those things BECAUSE of His relationship with His Father. WOW!

I am not exactly sure how that will work out in life day to day but I love the Amplified version of Galatians 5:16 which says, 'But I say walk and live habitually in the Holy Spirit; responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh, of human nature without God.'

Paul challenges us, implying it is wholly possible, to be alert to God every second of the day. This connection with the Father is how the man, Jesus, was able to live the life on earth He lived and to shock His disciples (and us) with the statement that they would not only do the same things that He did once He had left them but go on to do greater things!!

I know some reading this will think of that as an outlandish, maybe even arrogant presumption to make in the present day. I would have thought so myself several years ago. Feel free to ask how and why I have changed my thinking; 

I may have quoted this before but to me, this whole challenge is inspiringly summarised by a quote of Bill's in his book, 'When Heaven Invades Earth'. He says,

"I will spend the rest of my life exploring what could happen through the life of one who is willing to cultivate the God-given appetite ro see impossibilities bow to the name of Jesus. All my eggs are in one basket. There is no 'Plan B'."

He is not the first to adopt this stance to the glory of God....

I'd like to learn to be another 'that woman'

and that is is the most important thing I plan to learn this year?

As mother would say, 'God help me!'