Prepare for the New Year
Prepare for the New Year
I recently heard a story of a man who whose son had come in drunk one night. Although he was visibly upset, the man looked at the boy, looked up to heaven, looked back at the boy and as he looked up to heaven the 2nd time he said, “looks like you have got a problem, Lord”, and he turned and went to bed. Just think how much great sleep we would get if we could do that with every problem. You know, it’s not my problem any way. It is God’s. Why do I think if I worry and stress over it, that it will make it better? God is going to be up all night anyway. Give it to Him and go to sleep.
Every year on New Years Eve, my sister chooses a “word” of the year. This year she chose “eternal”. She has decided to only take time with things that have eternal consequences. If it won’t matter in the eternal realm, why dwell on it? The fact is, nothing is as important as our eternal salvation, the other stuff is just a small bump along the way. Of course it doesn’t seem like a small bump at the time. We all have family members who are not saved, that’s eternal. We have work issues, money issues, health issues, marriage issues and on and on, but those things are not eternal. They are of this world. Of course, we cannot just turn them off and ignore them but many of them work themselves out in time.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We are not “OF” this world, we are heaven bound.
John 14:3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
As we step into a New Year, let’s choose to dwell on heavenly things. Eternal things. The things that will matter forever. Is it hard to do? YES! But God is always there waiting for you to ask for help.
Lord, help us to spend less time and energy on things that will not matter in the long run, and help us to bring all our concerns to you and lay them at your feet so that we can rest without burden. Amen.