Divine Priorities

And Other Messages

WE hear much these days about priorities. A few months ago the word was rarely ever used. To many it was comparatively unknown. The war has brought several new words into common usage which formerly had no particular appeal. We need to realize that in all things our first duty and responsibility is to God Himself. The Old Testament prophets were constantly stressing the law of divine priorities. I wonder what the Zarephath widow thought when Elijah the prophet applied to her for room and board! She explained that her little store of food was almost gone; there was but a small quantity of meal in the bottom of the barrel and a little oil to mix with it. She was going to do a last baking for herself and her son and then there would be nothing left. But Elijah, the man of God, said, “Make me a cake first.” One could imagine her exclaiming, “What, make you a cake first! you a stranger, when I and my son have so little left!” And the answer might well have been, “Yes, it is a question of priorities. Henceforth you are to run a boarding-house for God. Put God first and He will look after you and your needs.”