The First & Last Jesus

I want to share a practice that’s proven incredibly life-giving. 

Every morning, while still in bed, the first word I speak is “Jesus.” Often, I’ll say his name several times. I find it orienting and grounding to have his name be the first word out of my mouth for the day. Then, as I lay my head on my pillow, the name of Jesus is also the last word that comes out of my mouth. Usually, I repeat his name many times as I mentally release all that happened that day.

This doesn’t just bookend each day, it reorients the whole day around Jesus. 

Which is how it should be. Jesus reminds us: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13 NLT)

This applies to every aspect of our lives, including our creativity. Because no one is more creative than Jesus. He didn’t just tell really clever parables. Everything in this world and beyond was created through Jesus and for Jesus (see Colossians 1:16).

May everything we create happen through Jesus and for him as well—from a project’s first idea to the finishing touch. It begins with making Jesus the first and the last focus of each day.

This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).

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