We are told eight times in the New Testament to “make every effort”. Turns out these eight priorities to which we are called to give maximum effort are foundational for shaping our lives toward God’s design.
Confession: This is actually life-shaping priority number 1. I mistakenly put a different one first, but this actually is job 1 for all humans. It’s found in Luke 13:24 and here it is in a slightly broader context: in vss 22-30:
“Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.””
Priority #1 (#2 in this article, but #1 in actuality) is to make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many (dare we say, most) will try to enter and not be able to.
Two questions that beg to be answered:
How exactly am I to aim my efforts, so as to be one of the lucky few?
Why will those many who “try to enter” actually “not be able to”?
The New Testament, and the teachings of Jesus, are crystal clear that salvation is by grace through faith alone. So, we are to make every effort to exercise our faith to receive the grace of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins and the salvation of our souls.
This leads to a very necessary conversation about what faith looks like. We will save that for another day, but I should simply say that Hebrews 11 defines faith for us this way: to believe that God is and that He rewards those who do diligently seek Him. The answer to question 2 gives us even more insight.
Jesus said that once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, it will be too late. The “many” will be outside “knocking and pleading” and they will seek to make their case for admittance this way: “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” In other words, we saw you and heard you and felt an affinity even towards you.
I think the point here is that we make every effort to know God, rather than know about God. God invites us to a relationship with our Father, through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not religion. Not knowledge. Not even belief. Relationship - receiving life from God, living with God, through His empowerment and grace, for God. A rhythm of altar and stewardship.
The most important priority in life? Meet Jesus, know Jesus, and walk with Jesus and join Him in His mission for the Father. There simply is no greater priority in life.