What does putting God first look like?

"Thou shalt have no other Gods before me."  Exodus 20:3   In Mark chapter 12, verse 30 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." I have been blogging about the ten commandments for a couple of months now and today I was thinking about what does loving God look like. God wants to be first in our life. We still have to live, go to work, take care of families and many more hats that we wear. In a practical application, I think we would want to talk with God everyday. We look at old testament Prophets like Daniel  who would kneel three times a day and pray to his God. It was known, and his enemies tried to use it against him. Daniel didn't change even when it became unlawful. It was habitual in his life. It was habitual but not forced, not religious. Like a cigarette smoker, that is a habit. It is not forced, it is desired from habit.  The Bible also tells us to cast all our care upon him, for he cares for you. Our prayer could look like daily communication with someone who lives in our house. Even better then a spouse who is separated from us through out the day to attend their job or other duties, God dwelling in us, means he is always there. Some enjoy communing with him in the car while traveling. Some perhaps talk to him in the shower. or perhaps a person enjoys walking for their daily health. Communing with God during that walk. What about when trouble strikes, I remember a time when something was said that was very hurtful on the job and I needed to get away, I found a stall in the bathroom where no one could see me and I quietly cried out to God.  Casting all your care on him. Talking to a Pastor about that situation, he said, did you see what you did? You went to God, you took it to God.  I think we would also try to follow his word as best we could. I try to read daily from God's word. Since most times God doesn't speak in an audible voice, he sometimes speaks to us through his word. A couple of days ago I was reading Matthew 5:21-24 relating to the sixth commandment. I read verse 23 and 24 where it talks about bringing your gift to the alter and remembering a brother has ought against you. As I read those words, I knew God was speaking to me. I said OK God, if this is you I will do as you are asking. As I read those words, I immediately thought of my son who was hurt by some words I spoke. He did not want to speak to me. I had prayed about it and requested prayer from others. When God speaks like that, we need to take action. I did. I prayed about it again and said I would call, and I did the next day. Sometimes God's voice might almost seem audible, like one time I was praying about a situation and while I was still praying God showed me something I was asking about. Then I felt like he said in my mind, I showed you this  so you would know, not to go and make a fool of yourself. I also think it would look like wanting to be in his presence such as attending Church on a consistent basis, especially since his word says "forsake not the assembling together". It is personal, your relationship may not look like mine, but God will be important in your life that you will want to speak to him, read his word and listen to him. I believe if you really love God it will alter some of your actions. I often think, being a christian should be the biggest descriptor of us. More important than black or white, German or Spanish. More important than Conservative or Liberal. You would consider what would God think of this, or perhaps as you pray, God what do you think. It will not matter if being a Christian is popular or not, it will be important to you and you will want to alter your life to please him. Worship him, think about his goodness. Tell of his goodness. Think of the best relationship you had on this earth, how you wanted to be with that person. Talk to them, just be in their company. Perhaps during the day you would think of them and want to speak, so you would call. God does want relationship with us. He says with all our strength, our soul and our mind. talk to him about your decisions, questions, concerns. Make him a part of your daily life. Obey his word as much as you know. Practice the things that may be hard. maybe you fail here and there, but you keep on trying. Seek him with your whole heart. We need God in every part of our life. Our families, our job, relationship with friends, we need him like the air we breath. Our modern world can be a distraction, but it can also make it easier. Our cell phone lives can interfere or can be used to help us. Now we can get apps on our cell phones that even read his word to us. We can google sights like Blue letter Bible  to investigate his word. Our modern world can distract or can help, but that depends on us. Do you love him. use the modern inventions to help you in your relationship with him. It doesn't matter if you read a hard copy of his word or use a tablet. He want our hearts, he want to dwell in us and he wants to write his commandments on our hearts. He is life.  God bless, LVZ.