First things first, I would like to play this song 10 more times right now before I write this analysis; I absolutely love this song. It has a great melody, great vocals, and most importantly, a great Christian message, ripe with deep, Scriptural truths.
The Christian music group, “Consumed By Fire,” is made up of three brothers, Joshua, Jordan, and Caleb Ward. They are from Wagoner, Oklahoma, where they grew up in the church their parents, David and Vonda, pastored: Legacy Family Church. The Ward brothers started their band in 2010, however, they’ve been writing and recording music since they were teenagers. They grew up traveling around the country with their parents as they served with medical missions and church planting.
This song was released in 2023 after taking three years off from music to help care for their ailing father. They wrote and released “First Things First” to honor their father, who passed away in the spring of 2022 from a stroke. The death of their father reignited their passion for their musical calling and this song is meant to point listeners to the things of eternal value, not temporal and worldly.
Jordan Ward said: “For us, this new music is our chance to carry on Dad’s legacy in a personal way. We’re able to take the things he taught us from Scripture and everyday life and share it with others through our music and our shows. This is our opportunity to carry that torch for him. Writing ‘First Things First’ spearheaded the creation of a new direction for us. Every record you make is sort of a chapter of your life. In this chapter, everything we thought we wanted and were geared up for, we’re saying we surrender all those things. We’re saying, ‘Lord, we want what You want.’ It’s a prayer of surrender, especially after losing our dad. We just want to surrender our dreams and our hopes to the Lord.”
The song begins:
“All the things that I have held dear; the vanities that whispered in my ear. What would I do if they all disappeared? Riches and fame and all that they could buy; I've come to find they never satisfy. What would I gain if my soul's the price? I don't wanna love what the world loves. I don't wanna chase what the world does. I only want you. I only want you.”
What does the world love most of all? Money, control, and power.
Look around; that’s all you see. We are taught from very early on in our society that the pursuit of money, control, and power is all that matters in life. None of us are immune to these desires – especially here in America. We want people to be impressed by us. We want people to see our success and wealth in the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, and the houses we live in.
God says that this is a foolish way of life.
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36 ESV)
To value money, control, and power over God, makes those things idols and therefore violates the First Commandment of God. Read Matthew 19:23-26. Jesus is not saying here that God hates rich and powerful people; He is just pointing out that it will be difficult for a rich and powerful person to inherit the Kingdom of God because richness and power here on earth are some of the biggest drivers of sin.
Say you achieve the title of the richest and most powerful person that has ever existed, but you don’t love God above everything. Then all you have gained is eternal death. Just like your body will return to dust, your wealth and fortunes eventually will too. Just as we brought nothing into this world, we cannot take anything with us when we die.
So, guard your heart, mind, and soul from the devil, the world, and your own sinful nature by having an active prayer life, reading and meditating on God’s Word, and putting His Word and Will to practice in your life. God will never leave you nor forsake you. Nothing can or will separate you from God’s love. The sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ saves you from your sins. Therefore, we can be content, whether we are poor or rich, sick or healthy, being persecuted or lifted up.
The song continues:
“First thing's first. I seek Your will; Not my own. Surrender all my wants to you. Keep the first thing first. To live Your truth; Walk Your ways. Set my eyes; Lord I fix my face on you. All my desires reversed; To keep the first thing first.”
Jesus tells us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness above all things. If we do this, we gain the whole world. Now, we won’t gain the whole world as the world defines gain; rather, we gain the whole world in eternal life through Jesus Christ. So, do not worry about the things this world cares for; seek Him and His Kingdom first. (Matthew 6:25-34).
The song concludes:
“I give it all; My life an offering. My heart is yours; So have Your way in me. Your kingdom's all I wanna seek. I don't wanna love what the world loves. I don't wanna chase what the world does. I only want you. I only want you.”
Wouldn’t it be nice if God would just remove the temptations and sins from our lives right now? I know I would be elated if He did that, but that’s not how this works. You and I are destined to physically die now because of our sins. But God never meant for us to die; death is not a natural part of life. But now that temptations and sin live within us, our only salvation comes from Jesus Christ. In heaven, there will be no more suffering, no more death, no more temptations, and no more sin. (Revelation 21:4).
Even though God doesn’t remove the temptations and sin from us now, He does give us the promise that He will never let you be tempted beyond what you can handle and that He will always give you a way out of that temptation. (1 Corinthians 10:13). The way out of the temptation is through prayer and reading and meditating on His Word. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can resist the temptations of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh.
Yesterday, we celebrated Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday, we celebrate The Lord’s Last Supper that Jesus instituted with His disciples before His crucifixion. On Good Friday, we celebrate Jesus Christ’s passion for us through His suffering, humiliation, crucifixion, and death on the cross. And on Easter Sunday, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
Turn your face towards Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of your faith.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Philip Frank
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