As a year wilts away behind us, another blossoms on the path ahead. There’s something beautiful and fragrant about new beginnings. A new year heralds an opportunity for a fresh start. What was is no longer, and what will be is largely up to the choices we will make. This is our chance to shape what lies ahead in ways totally honoring to God. My theme for this year is “Move the Needle”, and nowhere will this be more important than in my walk with God.
Everything revolves around and springs from my relationship with Him. Moving forward into a deeper knowledge of God necessitates doing something different than we’ve done before. If this is your desire for the new year as well, there is one thing I know. If we want to move the needle in our connection with and understanding of God, we can’t stay here.
When God created the earth and everything in it, He looked it over and declared it all to be very good (Genesis 1:31). It was not “okay” or merely something which “would do”, but rather it was all very good. God is not a God of mediocrity. He is a God of excellence, of the very good. How would you describe your relationship with Him? How would I? Is it very good, or something less than that? To move the needle in our walk with God, we’re going to have to move from our mediocrity. Most of our walks are either cold or lukewarm. We know there’s more we can do. We can’t stay here.
As I reflect on the past year, I am thrilled to see some areas of huge growth in my life. My prayer time has never been so intentional or regular. I can now not even imagine beginning my day in any way other than having beautiful conversation with my Creator. At the same time, there are areas of my life in which I continue to struggle. I still find it far easier to strike a check than to volunteer my time. The plans I have for 2017 are not going to make it easy for me to improve in this area, but I know if I want to live as Jesus did, I must give more of my time in service to others. What I’m doing now simply isn’t good enough. How about you? Are you making the most of your time in service to our King? If not, we can’t stay here.
We all have areas in our lives we know are not wholly devoted to Christ. That’s not going to cut it anymore. We pledged our whole life to Him, not bits and pieces, and not only when it’s convenient or painless. He gave everything for us. Now it’s our turn to do the same for Him. Leave the excuses in the year just ended. We have no space for them as we journey into the year before us. It’s time to move closer to God. It’s time to move ahead. We can’t stay here.