You First
Life can be like those times when you start speaking with someone and you interrupt each other. Of course, being polite as you are there must come the inevitable, “You first.” But sometimes life can be like those times when you have wronged someone and they have wronged you back. It comes time to ask forgiveness, and it seems that both parties are not overly eager to start - “You first”. Ah but, sometimes life can be like a first date when you instantly know you have met your perfect match as you hear the words, “You first.” Then again, sometimes life can be like the times you and a friend challenge each other to eat something of which the taste is unknown. Definitely a “You first” moment. Life can also be like times when, for fun, you and your friends decide to jump from the train trussel into the lake 80 feet below. “You first.” And then there are the times when life is like the soldiers huddled at the closed door getting ready to clear the building of any enemy combatants. The door has to be kicked in and someone has to step into a situation that has a 100% chance of being fatal. No one wants to be put in that situation but since we are here - “You first.”
Life throws a lot of stuff at us in different measures and of varying severity. Sometimes it seems that life attempts to paralyze us with fear and trepidation. That is life’s thing - uncertainty, difficult situations, things that threaten even the living we are doing. But as children of the living God, we have a promise. A promise so at our core and so tremendously dear that it should sustain us through all those times life throws stuff at us. The promise is that God will always be with us, will never leave us, and even more important; in times of trial - that He will always go first.
In the 31st chapter of the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament the Israelites readied themselves to go into the promised land. That land that God had told Moses was to be the inheritance of the Jewish people. That land that for 40 years was just out of reach from those same Jews as they wandered in the wilderness beyond its border. Now at the end of Deuteronomy it was time for the Israelites to take possession and Joshua would be the leader to take them into it. Moses, God’s faithful servant and the people’s former leader, commissions Joshua and inspires the people to take possession of the promised land. His words rang out calling all to action and encouraging confidence - “Be strong and courageous… It is the Lord who goes before you.” (vs 7 and 8)
What a promise! What a truth! You are not alone and more importantly you are not even going in first. God is with you and He is taking the lead. He will be the first to speak. He will be the first to act. If there is danger, He will be the first to face it and when bullets fly it will be God who takes the first hit. Child of God know this: Life may be ferocious, it may be merciless, life may even be deadly, YOU are never alone and YOU never have to face life first. Whether it is a who speaks first time or kick down the door time, God says, “I’ll go first.” Praise His holy, faithful and glorious name!
Deuteronomy 31:8