First things first

I think this is a great motto to live by.*  Too bad I don't practice what I blog.  : /  

Bible study started up again last week.  I have had the past five days to begin the study, but I waited until this evening, the night before Bible Study Wednesday, to even open up my new lesson notebook.

Why do I do that?  Why do I put off beginning the study?  At the very least, I could read the scripture passage so that I would be able to meditate on it until I actually make myself sit down to tackle the questions and applications.  But I rarely manage that feat.

Last week the author of the study (and one of the large group teachers) strongly encouraged us to approach the study one day at a time.  Each lesson is broken down into five segments, so following that plan would mean that I wouldn't find myself scrambling to start and finish the lesson the night before, or, even worse, the same day of WBS.  One day at a time would probably also ensure that I would be able to get more out of the study because I would be able to go more in depth.

I've vowed to embrace the five day approach previously . . . and failed.  And the very first week of this semester, I failed again.  But week 2 is a new week.  So we shall see.

I think the real issue is not that I do the lesson in one sitting rather than spreading it out over multiple days -- no, the real issue is that I fail to put first things first.  I fail to make the Word of God and study of the Word of God a priority in my life.  There are so many things I put first -- foolish, worthless, inconsequential things -- when in my heart, I know what needs to come first. 

*An English major should say "by which to live" rather than "to live by" but that sounds so stuffy, albeit grammatically correct.