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N E I L   A N D E R S O N   D A I L Y   D E V O T I O N A L
             from Freedom in Christ Ministries

January 21

A HIGHER PRIORITY

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of
God (Romans 8:14).

Two significant events in my life brought into clear focus the
priority of relationship over achievement. Before being called
into the ministry, I worked as an aerospace engineer on the
Apollo program. I will never forget the day the lunar lander
touched down on the moon. This bold headline dominated the front
page of the Minneapolis Star: "Neil Armstrong Lands on the Moon."
It was an achievement I was proud to be part of.

But the really big news came months earlier on page 7 in the
third section: "Heidi Jo Anderson, born to Mr. and Mrs. Neil
Anderson, Northwestern Hospital, March 12, 1969." That may not
sound like big news to you, but it was to her mother and me.
Heidi totally took over my den and captured an entire shelf in
the refrigerator. She altered our sleeping pattern and restricted
our social calendar. But she was ours to hold, to hug and to care
for.

What does God care about moon shots? They are deeds to be
outdone. Somebody will always come along and do it better, faster
and higher. What God cares about is little people like Heidi Jo
Anderson because they will be with Him forever.

The second significant event in my life was receiving my first
doctoral degree. But it turned out to be one of the most
anticlimactic days of my life. I heard no applause from heaven,
and I don't believe my achievement added so much as an asterisk
to my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. I was a child of God
before that day and I was still a child of God afterward.

But what happens in heaven when one sinner repents? Applause!
Why? Because a relationship with God is eternal, while earthly
achievements last only for time. Have you sacrificed the eternal
to gain the temporal? Have you ignored personal and spiritual
relationships in your pursuit of human achievements?
Relationships must always have a higher priority than temporal
achievements.

Lord, amidst the busyness of my schedule and clutter of my
possessions, help me cherish and nurture my relationships today.


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This daily devotional is published and distributed by
Crosswalk.com.  It is written by Neil Anderson at
< http://www.ficm.org >.

You can purchase "Daily in Christ" and other titles by Neil Anderson at
christianbook.com (Christian Book Distributors - CBD).
< http://shopping.crosswalk.com/bye/devo_na >

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
< http://devotionals.crosswalk.com >.
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