God First

John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him." - John 3:23-26

In today's text, we see that John's disciples have concerns over Jesus' ministry taking place in the Jordan River. To the disciples, it appears that Jesus' ministry was competing against John's ministry of baptism. They tell their master that he needs to do something about Jesus' ministry in no uncertain terms. They say, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him."

Many of us are like John's disciples. When our focus is not aligned with God's, the work of Jesus Christ starts to compete with ours. Spending time with God and his people starts to "take away" time from what we want to do. 

Dear Church, is your focus and priority aligned with God's, or does ministry seem to be taking time away from your life? As we meditate on today's text, let us make sure to put God first.