THE FULLNESS OF LIFE
The Ultimate Seven: Fundamental principles of a God-centered life
(3rd of a Series)
For the benefit of those who have missed the first part of this series, the seven fundamental principles of a God-centered life of the Ultimate Seven are:
1. God first. 2. God is the Ultimate End. 3. God is the Source. 4. God reigns. 5. God provides. 6 God saves. 7. God's perfect glory.
We have reflected on the reasons why God is first and why He must be first in all of our life's agenda. And now, how do we apply that principle in our day to day life?
I wonder how many believers (not only Christians) of a Supreme Being have the habit of turning to Him (God) upon waking up each new day? And I wonder how many of these so called believers have the wisdom of turning to God for guidance and strength in every major decision and important aspect of life? I believe that there are but very few, because very few have really taken this principle seriously. And yet if only at least one-third of the world's population have a clear concept of the primacy of the One True God and the courage and commitment to live according to this primary principle in living a God-centered life, then I believe that we will experience a great renewal in the world and a great improvement in the quality of our life.
St. Benedict (480-547 A.D.), Father of Western monasticism, wrote in the prologue of his Rule for monastic life "First of all, every time you begin a good work, you must pray to Him most earnestly to bring it to perfection". In other words, St. Benedict was saying that whenever we work, want it to be well-accomplished we must turn first to God.
But it is not only pertaining to our work that we turn first to God. The book of Proverbs has stated, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths" (Prov. 3:6). And further on it says, "Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine" (Prov. 3:9-10).
Aside from the Sapiential books of the Old Testament, we encounter in the Gospels an even more emphatic statement of Our Lord Jesus in the need of applying this principle. He said during His sermon on the Mount that we must not worry or be anxious about our life on what to eat or drink, or what to wear, but to seek God first. Let me quote from the beginning.
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other , or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. And yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
(Matthew 6:24-33)