For 2018 -- Believe!
Well, a new year is peeking around the corner, and I'm anxious to embrace the promise and hope of a blank slate! I've also been prayerfully considering a theme word to carry me into 2018.
In retrospect, this past year has held some ups and downs (typical, right?), and it's been a teaching year for my heart. What I've been most convicted of is that while my head is embracing truth, my hands and feet and words and thoughts haven't always been obedient to what I know is right. Digging deeper, I've realized that it's not just disobedience. It's a matter of not fully believing that God is able. If I believe, I'll act on that belief. And to that end, I've taken "believe" as my theme word for the New Year.
To believe is to have full assurance of truth and to then act on that assurance. What I discovered lacking in 2017 was that while I claimed to believe God and to trust in His sovereignty, the way I lived my life didn't exactly reflect "full assurance." And I don't want to go down that road any more.
My theme verse is from Mark 9:24 -- "I believe; help my unbelief!" The context of this heart-wrenching prayer is an easy one to relate to. In Mark 9, the Bible tells the story of a father whose child has been tormented by evil spirits for his entire life. He comes to the disciples of Jesus, asking them for help for his son. Jesus walks up on the scene and asks the father for more details. The father responds and says to Jesus, "But if You can, take pity on us and help us." Jesus picks up on the trace of doubt in the father's plea. "'If You can?' Everything is possible for him who believes." In desperation and out of love for his son, the father cries out to Jesus, "I believe; help my unbelief!" Many interpretations of this verse indicate that the father literally wept as he begged for greater faith.
And that's where I find myself today. I'm disappointed that I haven't fully lived out my trust in God, and with tears, I'm desperate for God to strengthen my absolute faith in Him and in His abilities to fulfill His promises.
From this story in Mark, I have a few take-aways as I claim "believe" for my 2018 theme word. First, just as Jesus was drawn to the distress of this father and his son, I purpose to have a greater heart for the hurting. Second, I purpose to trust in the promise of Jesus in verse 23: "Everything is possible for him who believes." Third, I purpose to humbly and "with tears" acknowledge my imperfect faith and my total dependence on Jesus. Fourth, I purpose to be more prayerful -- to trust in the sovereign God of the universe as my first response and not when all other avenues have been exhausted. Fifth, I purpose to live out my "full assurance" of the truth of God's Word. I purposely chose the verb form of "belief" to remind myself that faith-filled action is necessary.
According to my New Year's countdown, there are still three days, twelve hours, nine minutes, and nine seconds left for you to set aside a little time with the Lord and to see where He may lead you in 2018! I'm praying that His grace-filled voice with bring you a message that will guide and bless you as you enjoy, serve, love, and glorify Him! Happy New Year!
In retrospect, this past year has held some ups and downs (typical, right?), and it's been a teaching year for my heart. What I've been most convicted of is that while my head is embracing truth, my hands and feet and words and thoughts haven't always been obedient to what I know is right. Digging deeper, I've realized that it's not just disobedience. It's a matter of not fully believing that God is able. If I believe, I'll act on that belief. And to that end, I've taken "believe" as my theme word for the New Year.
To believe is to have full assurance of truth and to then act on that assurance. What I discovered lacking in 2017 was that while I claimed to believe God and to trust in His sovereignty, the way I lived my life didn't exactly reflect "full assurance." And I don't want to go down that road any more.
My theme verse is from Mark 9:24 -- "I believe; help my unbelief!" The context of this heart-wrenching prayer is an easy one to relate to. In Mark 9, the Bible tells the story of a father whose child has been tormented by evil spirits for his entire life. He comes to the disciples of Jesus, asking them for help for his son. Jesus walks up on the scene and asks the father for more details. The father responds and says to Jesus, "But if You can, take pity on us and help us." Jesus picks up on the trace of doubt in the father's plea. "'If You can?' Everything is possible for him who believes." In desperation and out of love for his son, the father cries out to Jesus, "I believe; help my unbelief!" Many interpretations of this verse indicate that the father literally wept as he begged for greater faith.
And that's where I find myself today. I'm disappointed that I haven't fully lived out my trust in God, and with tears, I'm desperate for God to strengthen my absolute faith in Him and in His abilities to fulfill His promises.
From this story in Mark, I have a few take-aways as I claim "believe" for my 2018 theme word. First, just as Jesus was drawn to the distress of this father and his son, I purpose to have a greater heart for the hurting. Second, I purpose to trust in the promise of Jesus in verse 23: "Everything is possible for him who believes." Third, I purpose to humbly and "with tears" acknowledge my imperfect faith and my total dependence on Jesus. Fourth, I purpose to be more prayerful -- to trust in the sovereign God of the universe as my first response and not when all other avenues have been exhausted. Fifth, I purpose to live out my "full assurance" of the truth of God's Word. I purposely chose the verb form of "belief" to remind myself that faith-filled action is necessary.
According to my New Year's countdown, there are still three days, twelve hours, nine minutes, and nine seconds left for you to set aside a little time with the Lord and to see where He may lead you in 2018! I'm praying that His grace-filled voice with bring you a message that will guide and bless you as you enjoy, serve, love, and glorify Him! Happy New Year!