Behind my back or always before me?

The past two Sundays, we've sung this song in church.

Безусловно возлюбил Ты меня
Привёл в Свой мир
Твой покой во мне
И с Тобой ушёл весь страх


Всем людям рассказать Твою историю
Я был призван Тобою
Был призван Тобою
Что отдана вся жизнь Твоим обещаньям
Я ведь не скрою. Я не скрою


Верю я в Тебя, Иисус
До края земли
Я пойду за Тобой
Я пойду за Тобой


Ведь Ты один Святый Божий Сын
Увидит целый мир, Что Ты мой Бог
Что Ты мой Бог.

Okay, that meant nothing to most of you.  You probably skipped right over it.  Today in the MS/HS chapel, we sang it in English!

Love unfailing
Overtaking my heart
You take me in
Finding peace again
Fear is lost in all you are


And I would give the world to tell your story 
'Cause I know that you've called me
I know that you've called me
I've lost myself for good within your promise
And I won't hide it
I won't hide it 


Jesus, I believe in You
And I would go, to the ends of the earth
To the ends of the earth
For you alone are the son of God
And all the world will see
That You are God
You are God

Pastor Vova preached on Matthew 16:21-23 this past week, primarily the part where Jesus said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!"  He said Jesus recognized the "voice" of Satan, trying to tempt Jesus and distract him from following God's will.

This week, in my one-year Bible plan, I have been reading through Ezekiel (lots of gloom and doom), and 23:35 stuck out to me.  God chastises Israel and Judah, saying "You have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back."  In other words, they have put themselves first, and God is farther back in their priorities, even out of sight.

I have sung these song lyrics 3 times now -- am I singing the truth from my heart?  It's a matter of priorities, of loving God with ALL my being, and loving others as I love myself.  What will I give to the world to tell God's story of redemption?  Will I give up my friendships, others' opinions of myself, familiarity and comfort (even if it is another language, or hiding behind a screen), acceptance from peers?

I want my identity to be wrapped up in the fact that I am a child of God, created in God's image, loved by God.  So much of how I think or perceive myself is based on others.  What God's been teaching me lately, or at least what I keep hearing, is to put Him first, to allow Him to satisfy any loneliness I have, to put others' needs before mine.