Well 2014 has been going strong now for three whole days. It's a beautiful time of year. Hot, sunny, the Taste of Tasmania is on, there is hope for what 2014 may bring.
Randomly, because they are on my iPhone, I have been listening to some sermons from Louie Giglio at Passion City Church that he preached on the Lord's prayer sometime in the middle of last year. I was really struck by a message he preached on 'give us this day our daily bread'. To cut a long story short, his point was that basically Christians spend to much time focusing on how God will provide from them and help them out yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. But actually, there is something in knowing that God's promise is for today. He promises to come through tomorrow as well, but only when tomorrow becomes today.
Anyway, as tends to happen around new years. My eyes were firmly focused on my plans to be better this year. I had even prayed that God would help me to do well this year and to guide me this year. What a beautiful but subtle thing to be reminded then by listening to those sermons that my prayer, my daily prayer, is God help me today. Help me to serve you today. Help me to do enough today. Help me to have all I need today.
There's something kinda cool about setting yearly goals, but then knowing that you only need to worry about today. I may want to read this many books, or that much of the bible, or be more generous or whatever. All of those things happen with little steps today. And I know God can provide all the grace I need today to make a few small steps in the right direction.
This has been a profound reshaping of my thinking. Perhaps I've not articulated it well. Please ask me in the comments if you have questions.
On a related but slightly different note, I came across this article about New Years resolutions. Whilst I didn't love the whole article, this blog post titled kinda hit home at something I think. "New Years Resolution" is a nice way for you to say, "I repent". There's a great truth to that. In identifying areas where we want to do better, we are in a sense confessing that over the last year we've been lazy, or lacked self control, or whatever it is for you. Sure my New Years Resolution of clock 50% on FIFA 14 is not a confession of my lack of PS3 gaming time, but my news years resolution to tick off year one of Tim Chester's bible reading plan is indeed a confession of my need for more constant and deliberate personal bible reading.
So I'm going to take 2014 and all my hopes and dreams and the challenges and exciting things God has for me one day at time, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can get through today, because God is always enough for today.
Friday, January 03, 2014
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