This post is not about new years resolutions. This post is about opportunity, and the below is taken from Sunday 29 December 2024.
The opportunity of a new year
- What is one new thing you believe the Lord is calling you into for 2025?
- And in order to make room, what is one thing that the Lord may be calling you to cease?
In discerning this, maybe some thoughts to consider from the passage
- Consider the blessings of the Lord over the past 24 months. Consider how the Lord has led you from where you were in 2023, to where you are now? What treasures has the Lord given you? What words or encouragements or challenges have you encountered over the past 2 years? Write them down. Ponder them. Wonder them. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about how He has ordered your steps. When you glimpse the grace and mercy and favour of the Lord over the years, the feeling is indescribable. We are not alone. The Lord is not far, rather near - content and bringing peace to the manger within, bringing joy to the inner person, stirring up hope deep in our bones and filling us with love.
- Consider how you are about the Father's business, about the Father's house. Seek first the Kingdom Jesus said. That is what it means to be about the Fathers business. In your home, seek first the Kingdom. How will my actions, my attitude, my feelings, my reactions, my work and delight and rest, how will these things bring more of the Kingdom into my home? How can the Kingdom be made present in my workplace, school or club? People will not always understand why we gather to worship; why we read the Bible and pray; why we confess that Jesus is Lord! People will expect us to be doing something else. Even believers have various views about rest - Jesus had rest with his disciples, and Jesus had rest alone with the Father - that was it. Being about the Fathers business is to enjoy rest with the Lord, but not at the expense of rest and worship with one another. If the Fathers House is a place of work, then stop - something must be resolved within in order for the Father's House to become a place of worship! What are the three dominant Words for your experience (not theory or what ought to be) of Church? How is the Kingdom first in our lives? What does a Kingdom attitude look like, and does that imply the need for our reliance on the Holy Spirit? If we have everything in hand, and within our own strength, where is the room for God and His hands and His strength?
Therefore be found in the House, be found around the teachers, be found in prayer, be found in worship. One thing we can take from COVID is that we are created for community, by definition, the Body of Christ is together. If you are planted in a fellowship, then be found in the fellowship; such is not an optional extra, rather an expression of faith. And even if the Lord leads you from home to another home, away from where you think you would like to be, there is a peace we have from eternity. Jesus was willing to become a carpenter and grow in stature and in wisdom - notice the language of Proverbs which is all about listening to, learning from and being near the Father. How are we in the House? How can we navigate conflictions of priority and or comfort? What questions have I been asking of the Lord this year? What are three key moments of learning and growth I have received and wrestled with in 2024? - Jesus had room for His Father, and for His father. The Kingdom is not about division, rather priority, and people will not always understand priority either! The Kingdom is does not require you to push your life aside, rather the Kingdom allows us to be His light within our earthen vessels. Father is not a matter of convenience, nor comfort. Father is a reality of relationship where in the New Testament, the dominant expression of God is as Father.(Mal 2:10)(Matt6:9)(John 20:17)(Eph4:6). Father and father is about priority. How is Jesus a priority in my life? What have I delighted in about the presence of God this year?
- Jesus had confidence in Eternity, and in His calling. Jesus left the Fathers house and went to His fathers house in humility. Humility is the key. Humility is placing myself into the hands of mercy and grace. Humility is placing my plans into the steps of the Lord. Humility is placing my needs into the provision of God. Humility is drawing on the Lord in order to gather together and be a blessing simply because we are blessed. Humility is to expect the favour of God, and anticipate His miracles and power. Humility is surrendering our fear and unbelief into the majesty and awesomeness of God. Humility is the posture of His presence, and being a people of His power.
- The Bible has many stories of how God has been working in the world and through people, but perhaps a dominant theme is found in humility which can be seen in Jesus, eternity born to a humble home, to a manger. Notice Moses too, he was the most humble in all the earth.(Isaiah 66:2)(Num 12:3)(Ex 33:17)(Ps 75:6-7). How can we grow in confidence in eternity? How can I be more humble in practicing reliance upon the Lord for strength, for grace, for forgiveness, for peace? What opportunity my eternity have for me here and now in 2025?
What new thing is the Lord calling me into and how does confidence in eternity enable me to walk humbly before the Lord?
A living sacrifice is humble by attitude and posture, and confident in eternity. Is there any other way for us except the way of Jesus? Is there any other way to live except as a servant of the Lord? Is there any price we are unwilling to pay to follow Jesus? May we have a humility before our creator, and in that walk of humility - may we have more confidence than ever before, expecting even greater things we decrease and He increases...
What is the new thing the Lord is calling us into this year - One thing? And what thing is the Lord calling us to cease, stop, hand over, lay down, give up, let go...
2025 - the opportunity of a new year!
May you enjoy the blessing and favour of God as you grow in confidence in eternity...eternity born unto us - Jesus.