“Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” (2 Cor.5:9) If I were to ask, what is the most important thing (the number one priority) for Christians, I am sure the response would be varied. Few people realize the most important part of being a Christian begins with pleasing God. Paul makes a statement to the church at Corinth about what is really the most important priority in our lives. “We make it our aim …” This means we must make a conscious decision and an effort to keep our primary goal (pleasing God) in our sights at all times. We must be holding ourselves to the highest priority, every day of our lives. It is not a lack of spiritual experience or knowledge that leads us to failure. Failure to live our lives pleasing begins with the desire to live pleasing is the ultimate cause of not pleasing God. Our first priority in life is not to establish churches, win souls, have revivals or any of the other things that many consider to be the first priority of the church. Our first and foremost goal is to be pleasing to God. When our focus turns from God and pleasing God, we are certainly headed for failure. We must constantly examine ourselves with God’s Word as the standard. We must desire to see if we measure up to the standard God has set for our lives. Paul lived His life, a life of worship toward God, before many people with the knowledge that God was the audience. Paul did not give a great amount of worry as to what others may think of him – What really matters is what God thinks. Paul was looking forward to the approval of the Master.

We must be as conscious as Paul in our lives and our desire to please The Lord. Anything that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the goal of being approved of God can result in rejection from God. This means we must continually strive to learn and apply God’s Word, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”(2 Timothy 2:15) “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb.12:2) Once we understand and appreciate the rewards of following and pleasing God, we can see the need to look to Jesus and continually strive to do the things which are pleasing and acceptable to God.

Paul spoke of the importance of running the race so as to obtain the prize we desire (eternal salvation) and he continues by speaking of the necessity of controlling our bodies so we are not lead in the wrong direction. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest … I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

We must learn to relate everything in our lives to the primary goal, pleasing God and striving to maintain our goal without being taken off course or suffering shipwreck in our faith. (1Tim1:16) Ultimately our worth is seen in our desire to please God. When our goal is to be pleasing all other things become second nature. We love God and we desire to keep His commands, (John 14:15) Our worth is measured by what we do daily in our lives – not in the sight of men – but in the sight of God. When our goal is to please God we will continue to grow in grace and knowledge and acceptance in His sight.

Think about it!!! Mike

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matt.22:37-39