Happy New Year! I don’t know if you stayed up to see the first minute of the New Year, but whether you did or not–It’s here! With a New Year brings new possibilities, new opportunities, and perhaps a fresh start. The irony is that there is nothing different about the minutes this year than the ones from the night before, but for some reason things seem more hopeful or more promising.
The only real difference is marking the time with ’09 instead of ‘08. I believe the deeper question is what will mark your 2009. Will it be a year where you chase what you believe would be best for you? Or will this be a time where you put your hands up in surrender to God and His plans for you?
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10
God wants to work in us, on us, and through us. What will your life reflect this year?
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has hear, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 1:9
Live this year! Live this year for Jesus!
Yep, a time for new beginnings.
You’re right, it can be simply the incrementing of another year.
OR…it could be an opportunity to reassess, to replan, to recommit to something more. To the more that God intends for our lives.
Since we as a church (at least as home groups) are going to be reading a Mark Batterson book, I decided to go take a look at his website to include his blog. Hope it’s ok to point to another blog here.
http://evotional.com/
I like what Mark posts for Dec 29th, entitled New Years Resolutions, in that he’s essentially pressing for us to go beyond mere good thoughts for the future (which is what MOST resolutions are for most people) and to actually sit down to craft out an inspired plan for the coming year.
It’s taking thoughts & ideas of what we’d like to see happen and actually taking ACTION with those. Placing them in a written form makes it an action plan for the future.
Not that it would place us in a straight jacket, but when we take the time (and effort) to actually write down our good intentions for the future, we have a better chance of getting where we’d like to go.
I’m excited for MABC to be starting the year off with Financial Peace University to the congregants. Dave Ramsey’s approach seems to be much more basic (baby steps) & action-oriented than other Christian financial programs.
One thing that draws my attention is the discussion opportunities for the upcoming year’s budget. A budget is a plan for the future. This begs the question in my life as to how I did on my last year’s plan. Good budgeting for the future also entails looking at the past and assessing how well one has done on previous plans.
The new year is exciting. Like you say, with opportunities and expectations. But those can be simply pipe dreams without some serious effort (prayer, planning, biblical inspiration) to chart a course for the future.
I am looking forward to this new year and what it means.
May we all be encouraged with God’s Word and leading throughout this year.