PROPER ORDER
Today's reading:  Genesis 1-3

"In the beginning God..."  Genesis 1:1 NLT

Order.

When God is first, everything else falls into place.

Frances Crosby knew that when she penned the third verse of a most popular hymn, 'Blessed Assurance', in 1873.

Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and blest.
Watching and waiting, looking above.
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Hymnal writing Crosby knew that we couldn't wait until all was in order to submit our hearts and lives to God--the submission had to come first.  Him first, then happiness and blessings.  God first, then anticipation of Him working the rest out.

Ms. Crosby didn't wait until God healed her blindness before serving Him.  She submitted her life to His use, wrote what He inspired in her heart and trusted Him to bless how He saw fit.  Her healing didn't come until she stood before Him face-to-face--and still she considered herself to be happy, blessed and created to praise God.

As the year ends, I am pondering the proper order of things in my heart.

Who, or what, am I putting before God?  What order am I putting spiritual things into?  Is it proper?  Is it God first?