Do you start the day by looking at your phone, or by remembering the One who gave you the day? Here’s why you should choose God first, every morning.
by Alistair van Heerden
Every day arrives as a new gift from the hand of God. The light streaming through the curtains, the sound of birds in the garden, the breath in your chest—each is a quiet reminder that “because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fail. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
But how often, when we wake up, do we truly notice these gifts? More deeply still: is our attention fixed on the Giver himself? When your eyes open, there should be a question rising from within: Who receives my attention first today?
Your first priority each day
In a world of rush and overloaded schedules, it is easy to begin with WhatsApp messages, emails, news, or social media. This is made worse by the feeling that you might miss out. FOMO (fear of missing out) captures it well—our thoughts are immediately pulled in many directions. Yet Jesus teaches us something different:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33
The word first is not only about time. It shows where your priorities lie, where your heart truly rests.
Look first to the Lord
The Bible gives us examples of people who put God first. David prayed in the morning:
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Psalm 5:3
That waiting was not passive. It was a deliberate act of faith, an acknowledgment: You are my first and most important one.
Think of Abraham. In Genesis 22:3 we read that he rose early in the morning to carry out God’s command. What God asked of him was unimaginably hard—the sacrifice of his son. Yet Abraham obeyed without delay, showing deep trust in the Lord. His heart was set on God’s will, even first thing in the morning.
And then there is Jesus himself.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mark 1:35
If our Saviour sought the Father first, how much more should we follow his example?
Putting God first comes from the heart
This is not a rule. It is the longing of a believer’s heart. Can a heart made alive in Christ do anything other than seek the Lord first each day? It is an invitation of grace: begin your day in God’s presence.
When God has your first attention, the whole day is shaped by His presence. Your soul finds rest, your mind is calmed, your heart is strengthened. Not because you are strong, but because you started with the Source of all grace.
So ask yourself honestly: who or what receives your attention in the morning? For where your attention is, there your heart is also—and where your heart is, there your faith is. Let us join the psalmist in saying:
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1
In those early hours, before the world steals your focus, you have the chance to choose again: to live out your faith in Christ first of all.
May you discover, as you seek the King first each morning, that he gives you everything you need for that day: mercy, peace, guidance and strength.
