Thoughts on the first day of 2018

Why won't I commit to getting up early to spend time in prayer, Bible reading and reflection? It just seems impossible.

It's one of many things in my life that still just seems impossible.

Lord, I lift that up to You. It's an area where I hope to improve each year, but I always come up short.

On the first day of a new year, Craig Denison's First 15 devotional guide suggests that I won't miss that time. But that doesn't seem possible, either.

From First 15:  "The best way to consistently encounter the transformative love of God is to set aside time early each morning that you’ll never miss." (Emphasis added by me.)

He acknowledges that creating a habit can be difficult but notes that there is "no greater pursuit than a deeper relationship with God." He suggests: "Pick a time you can consistently meet with him. Before you go to sleep ask God to give you grace and desire to wake up and encounter him. The more you do it the easier it will become. And as you grow in the knowledge of God and his goodness, time spent with him will become your favorite time of the day."

Can He help me get to bed earlier and then to work out the logistics with Gene? That's part of what I don't understand how is supposed to work.

I have been aware recently that there are too many distractions at the gym for me to read my devotionals, pray and reflect. It worked in the past, but for some reason it does not anymore, although I still can do it when I'm on the treadmill at home.

As I looked for new spiritual guidance at the start of this year, I also signed up to get Proverbs 31 devotions delivered to my primary inbox. Today's first one, by Katy McCown, was good. But it linked me to her blog, at http://katymccown.com/, with words that may be even more vital for me:

"My plan for the future is to be faithful with today."

 

McCown writes: "Today, I find myself in an uncertain place. This new year brings a lot of change and more questions than answers. But one thing I know I can do is engage in today. I can choose to be faithful today. And as I do, I can be sure I’m participating in God’s dreams for me.

"How can you be faithful today? Maybe it’s a simple trip to the grocery store or a story before bedtime, but it matters. Resist the urge to let your mind wander to tomorrow or next week or this summer or five years from now. Let God use today to form you for your tomorrow."

True to the way God often works in my life, just before I sat down to finish writing this, I ran across one more concept shared by a friend that seems to reinforce the approach that was shaping up within me.

Mary Lou Moad posted on Facebook: "All you really have is Today. Today, do the next right thing. Let tomorrow worry about itself when it comes."

I think God's message to me on the first day of 2018 is to not think I have to finally have the plan for my whole life, and not even the whole year or month or week. How about just be faithful today? Do the next right thing.

And it's scriptural, from Matthew 6:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ^{...  28} “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I think this passage from James 2 also applies, because God's not telling me to sit back and do nothing. He's telling me to do what I can today and not worry about the rest. But, what's the scriptural phrase? Faith without works is dead.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Back to Katy McCown's post that was shared by the Proverbs 31 ministry. She said she wasn't a morning person, but now she is. "Now, when I wake up I choose not to catalog the day’s events and decide if I want to get up or go back to sleep. Instead, I start by talking with my Lord. My time with Him sets the pace for the day, and that alone makes getting up worth it!"

So, I don't know where this will lead me. Even though I pretty much failed at planning in the past year, I kept trying. Not trying feels like failure.  But it also feels like faith. I believe God is continuing to shape me. And I believe the result will be good.

Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (NKJV)

Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (NKJV)