A Good Word - Priority

by Gary Johnson

Having lived in Indianapolis for more than three decades, I have come to appreciate “the Month of May.” From May 1st through Memorial Day, we eat, breath, sleep the Indianapolis 500, “the greatest spectacle in racing!” From parades to cook-outs to time trials and Carb[uerator] Day, the race becomes a priority for hundreds of thousands of people.  

At e2, the good word for the month of May is priority and we want to make another race a priority in our lives. For me, a simple working definition of priority consists of a mere three words: “of greater importance.” We do a significant amount of shipping at e2, and there are times when a package will be sent Priority Mail because the contents are “of greater importance.”  

As Jesus followers, we read of a race that must be of greater importance to each of us. The writer of Hebrews said it this way: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2, emphasis added).  

Jesus identified and pursued the priority in His life. He knew and embraced what was of greater importance to Him. Clearly, Jesus was the Master Physician, as well as Master Teacher. Yet, those were secondary roles in His life. Not everyone was healed by Him, nor did everyone on earth at the time of His coming hear Him teach and preach. But His death on the cross offers the opportunity of every man, woman, and child across all of measured time to be saved and restored to God. Jesus knew, pursued, and protected His mission, making it a priority as He knew that it was of greater importance than anything else in His life.  

Can we say the same? What have we made a priority in our lives, what have we declared to be of greater importance? Is it money and the things that money can buy? How about work, hobbies, television, or travel? What if we were to make the Word of God of greater importance – a priority – in our lives?  

There are three unique words in the New Testament for Scripture. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we read, “All scripture is God breathed.” ‘Scripture’ in this statement is the Greek word graphe, meaning the written Word. In John 1:1,14, we read, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and lived among us.” The ‘Word’ here is logos, meaning embodied. Finally, Ephesians 6:18 states, “And take with you the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God,” and the Greek term in this statement is rhema, meaning the spoken Word. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He spoke the Word audibly, telling Satan that “man doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”  

• Written

• Embodied

• Spoken

When we read the written Word of God at least four times a week, then embody the Word in our minds (i.e., meditate, memorize), and we begin to spontaneously make it a part of our everyday speech, we will then grow more quickly and become more like Jesus than if we engage in any other spiritual practice. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34); whatever is in our minds will eventually be spoken by us. The more Scripture we consume, the more Scripture we naturally and spontaneously speak. This is the most life-transforming way to personally know and become more like Jesus.  

By God’s grace, I’ve run a few marathons and half-marathons. Each race had clearly defined routes with unmistakable finish lines. Likewise, we are running a race and the route can be arduous. Yet, God’s Word is a “lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Ps 119:105). His Word clearly makes our path clear and unmistakable. And when we “fix our eyes on Jesus,” we have every greater hope of finishing strong.  

Like Paul, we have the capacity to experience and declare: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, emphasis added) when we make the Word a priority in our daily lives. It must be of greater importance!