I woke up this morning with the word “to go into 2012 shouting and praising my way in”. My pastor, special music, and visiting missionary confirmed this.
Let’s remember to give God the glory a head time and to give our best praise day-in and day-out as we press forward. That’s right! I’m not rolling in, drudging my way in, or sauntering my way in; I am going in full-speed ahead. I am going to embrace the new, whatever that is, and continue to praise God as I enjoy the journey. Now is a good a time as any to begin to ask God to speak to you about the new year ahead…… What does He have in store for you? Is this the year that you will embrace going deeper in Him, or will this be a year that you continue to pour into your agendas and incentives? These are tough questions. He got me thinking this morning about a lot of things!
As we get older, we tend to view the start of a New Year as a time when one retrospectively assesses their progress. I am not talking about New Year’s resolutions. I am talking about taking into account what God has put into our hands and told us what to do or NOT to do. It’s time to recommit and reconnect. For some, it’s a time to get back to the basics and to renew the commitment to the call that God has placed on us. No one decides they are going to ease back on reading the Bible. In fact, I have known many inveterate people to slip away. The answer is to recommit!
If our foundation is right, we can handle whatever comes our way, whether joyful celebrations or gale winds; thus, serving Him anyway and giving Him praise in the good and bad times. No matter what, I am pressing forward. I aspire to be more of a blessing to those around me. I am considering my priorities and what needs to be changed. I am turning my heart toward home. This home is heaven. The cares of this world can bring us down, but when we remember to sharpen our focus, we get back on track!
As we mature, we find God urging us to give up childish things or things we can do without. As we learn to surrender them, we become more like Christ. This in turn creates a positive cycle. The more we are more like Christ, the more people we will reach for Christ because of His light shining in and through us. Then they become like Christ and the cycle continues. On the other hand, when Christ is not the focal point, the cycle goes the other way. Think of it this way: You are what you eat. That is what you watch on TV, what you do online, what you read, where you go with friends, etc. What do you feed your body, mind, soul, and spirit? Does your spirit and soul crave to be with God, someone, or something else? What are you emulating for others? Does your life point others to Christ or towards stumbling blocks?
So there is much to ponder, but I am adamant to go into 2012 thanking, praising, and embracing all that He has for me. The word is change! What about you? Take some time and do a personal inventory. Praising God is more than what we do in church on Sunday. It’s an attitude of gratitude, but also one of consideration of what God has in store for us. It’s living a lifestyle of worship! It’s what we do day-in and day-out as we walk with God.
