Devotion by Jason Houser
Music has always been an important part of my life and something I love. In high school I started dreaming of a day when all my time could be given to music. I loved writing songs and helping others create great music. After high school I moved to Nashville and pursued a music production degree. Right away I started making connections and was able to be a part of creating some amazing music, living my dream. Not long after that I married Heidi, and we started a family.
You think this would have been the perfect life, but there was a problem. I had let my priorities get out of order. Mark 12:30-31 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength, and the second is this, love your neighbor as yourself.” Over time I had forgotten my first love, God, and had allowed music to become my first love, an idol in my life, which eventually led to my neglecting what should have been my second love, my family.
I remember the day my wife came to me and confronted me. She said something like, “I feel like you’ve made music more important than God or your family.” That hurt to hear, but it was the most loving thing she could have done. Like David, I cried out to God in one of my lowest moments in life, and He ‘turned to me and heard my cry.’ (Psalm 40:1) I confessed my sin to Him and asked Him to help me get my priorities straight again. I surrendered my will to Him and the foundation of my life became my relationship with Jesus.
Here’s the amazing part of this story: It was after I surrendered to him and put music in its proper place in my life that something totally unexpected happened. One day our pastor came to me and asked, “Hey, would you be willing to write a Scripture memory song for Vacation Bible School this year?” I wrote the song and couldn’t believe how amazing it was to look out at all those kids singing God’s word. A light came on in that moment, and that was the beginning of Seeds Family Worship. Through my surrender, God took the thing that had become my idol and redeemed it for His glory.
Are there any areas of your life that have become more important than loving God or loving others? This doesn’t mean that the thing is a bad thing, but how can you make it the right priority again? (like with Jason and music).
God, thank you for giving us things we can be passionate about and take delight in, like music. Help us to never let those joys become more important than knowing and loving You. Help us to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
