a new year…a grace filled take
A new year beckons renewed hope, a fresh start, pages of empty calendars awaiting plans. Alongside this refreshment, we can also feel the weight resolutions, goals, and changes we commit to, can bring. At times, we can inadvertently tie our hope or identity to these resolutions.
Scripture seems to advocate fresh starts and new morning mercies.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB)
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23 CSB)
These are both great gifts, graces the Lord has given us, both salvifically and in our daily living.
As we find ourselves a few weeks into 2020, how might the Lord advise us to start? What wisdom might He offer? Does He have any counsel as we consider making resolutions and goals?
Out of love and deep gratitude for what God has done for us, we can easily find ourselves wanting to “do” for Him. Our days can be filled with activities, serving others, giving of our time and finances – all really good things!
In the book of James we are reminded that “our faith without works is dead” (James 2:17)
While our doing is essential for kingdom advancement and building up the church body, sometimes we find ourselves tired or even burned out.
“How did I get here?” we find ourselves asking, “How can I be so tired and/or overwhelmed when my sole purpose in all this “doing” is for Him?”
Sometimes, I can to jump into things, especially when it seems like a good idea or there is a hole that needs to be filled. We can easily forget or neglect bringing new opportunities or commitments to Him, asking if He would have this to be a part of our life or our family’s in this season.
I think sometimes we overlook that He also invites and directs us to come and rest, lingering in His presence.
He gently reminds us of this teaching in Luke 10:38-42 ESV “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Martha was doing…a lot it seems…all her doing led her to a frazzled frenzy!
Have you ever been there?
I have.
As I type, my mind is filled with different recollections of this in my own life. It can be hard to come back from this locale, to be able to drink deeply and enjoy the very event or day you have frantically scurried to “make happen”.
Jesus so kindly and gently responds back to Martha. I can almost envision Him taking Martha’s hands in His, looking into her eyes and speaking directly to her heart.
“Martha” I imagine He whispers, “So many things are bothering you, things that don’t have any eternal or lasting worth. Let me teach you what really matters. Mary…well…she gets it. The doing has its place, but don’t miss the greater importance here…the listening…the pursuing…the abiding with Me.” He gently redirects.
His Presence Teaches
In His presence, we find renewal and refreshment at soul-level through the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19-20a CSB)
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29 ESV)
The “rest” Jesus speaks of comes as we cease our self-effort and self-focus. It is upon wholly seeking Him, do we learn of the “good works He has prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
It is in His agenda, that we find rest.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:10-12 ESV)
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV)
His Presence Directs
As we spend time being renewed and refreshed in the Word and prayer, He is working in us. Sometimes we can be completely oblivious to this, it sneaks up on us!
We can find ourselves in a conversation discussing an idea that may be completely unlike us.
We find ourselves pondering an opportunity to serve, even sensing an internal excitement growing as we contemplate taking the next step.
We are guaranteed that as we spend time with Him, in His presence, we will be changed!
Our desires are transformed; He creates a greater longing to know Him.
The subtle shifting of our eyes…from seeing what we “want”, followed with intense prayer for Him to grant this desire, falsely believing that the attainment of this particular desires will satisfy the deepest parts of our heart.
And slowly,
He works…
ever so slowly…
over time…
as we sit at His feet, submerging our minds in His Word, conversing with Him in prayer…
these desires or pursuits lessen…
their stronghold weakening.
He is shifting our hearts; doing that 2 Corinthians 5:17 work of making us “new creations in Christ.”
Our hearts begin to beat differently, desiring to know Him more fully, regardless of whether or not He grants us our requests, we trust His will (and His knowledge of eternity past and present) is what is best for us!
In turn, His desires become our desires.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Psalm 37:4-6 ESV)
Pastor Tim Keller says “We can be sure our prayers are answered precisely in the way we would want them to be answered if we knew everything God knows.”
Wrapping Up
Back to 2020.
Let’s strive to both sit and do…in that order!
In a concerted effort to sit in His presence, waiting to hear from Him, may we ask Him to increase our sensitivity to His Spirit. May He give us a heart for His desires, directing, and involvement. His direction may come quickly, or it may come in time. No matter the timeline, we can rest assure that it will come in His appointed and “very right” time.
As we sense Him working, rising up new ideas or birthing new desires, let’s commit to step out confidently in HIS ability. Trusting Him to provide the time and ability to do what He is asking. May we take that step, no matter how scary or “out of our comfort zone” it may seem.
So, if you find yourself drawn to making resolutions, proceed forth…asking Him what He would have! Asking Him to keep us from placing our hope or identity in them…but in Him!
May He direct us in our 2020. I wonder how different it might be if we seek out His agenda for our upcoming year versus our agenda for Him? I guarantee it will be more adventurous and joyous that what anything we would have chosen!
Blessings as we intentionally choose living and embracing His will and agenda this year!
