We mark time with years and moments. Someday time will no longer be relevant, but here and now it’s how we make new beginnings – a New Year…
I’m not much of a goal setter and I’m pretty certain if I was I would disappoint myself regularly. But I do have aspirations, do desire to see change and growth, to feel the difference that purpose makes.
God had a purpose for putting His Word in writing – that we may have all we need for life and godliness. He had a purpose in sending His Son to die for us, that we can be cleansed from all unrighteousness and have eternal life. And He has a purpose for each and every one of our lives “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me” (Psalm 138:8 NIV)
Our part is to be prepared so we are useful for Him to fulfill His purpose through us. That’s where His Word comes in, as He speaks to our heart ‘Open here’. Randomly opening our Bible and reading where our finger lands is not what God has in mind. Do we pick up books, reports, spread sheets, whatever it is we regularly read and just let our finger tell us where to start? What if we approached reading the very Word of God with the same purpose we do in reading instructions, emails from our boss, or a novel?
Open here: where a devotional directs us, where a Bible study leads us, where we hear at a sermon on a Sunday. Open here: to a passage we feel drawn to asking His Holy Spirit to teach us. Open here: breathing it in like a fresh bag of coffee, lingering over it like a decadent dessert.
“All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.” (Psalm 38: 9 NIV) Every sigh is heard, every longing known by our Maker. Nothing is hidden nor does He hide His purposes. He longs for us to daily live on purpose so we can know His heart.
A beautiful song – Come to Me – by Bethel Music is a sweet reminder to take with us as we venture brave into the New Year:
I am the Lord your God,
I go before you now.
I stand beside you
I’m all around you
And though you feel I’m far away
I’m closer than your breath
I am with you
More than you know
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8GOII4PrrA (Come To Me YouTube Link)
living braver 
December 29, 2015 at 11:17 am
I want to “linger over his word like a decadent desert,” I love that imagery!
LikeLike
December 29, 2015 at 3:05 pm
Nancy, hard to believe a New Year is upon us, blessings to you as you linger over the wonderful Words of our Father! Paris
LikeLike
December 30, 2015 at 10:48 pm
Thanks for this encouragement today- Finding His word becoming more precious to me- Thanks for these great thoughts! blessings and Happy New Year!!:)
LikeLike
December 31, 2015 at 8:08 am
Susie, you have been a blessing with your art and your words to me, so glad we found each other. Blessings in the New Year of good health, lots of smiles, and that peace that comes only from our Father.
LikeLike
January 1, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Beautiful. Thank you. My word this year is savor – savor it all – every moment as you talked about and using every thing I learn this year to share with others so that they might know Him.
LikeLike
January 2, 2016 at 10:18 am
Savor is a great word for the year, just think if we could grasp more of His Word how much more useful we could be for Him and how much more our spirit would be at rest. Blessings as you savor His great and glorious riches in Christ…
LikeLike