Do the Next Thing...
Do you make resolutions? I don’t make New Year’s resolution
per se but the rollover into new digits is an opportunity to reflect and evaluate
the previous year, and consider expectations for the year ahead. For many years
I’ve asked the Lord for a verse or Bible passage that will guide my year. Not
everyone appreciates a clear path, but for me and my personality, having
direction helps me stay on-point, even when good distractions come along. I
want to finish well, and I want to always be moving forward.
Over the years, moving forward doesn’t always mean moving
forward. Sometimes moving forward means not moving backward. Sometimes moving
forward is small steps, like the way the earth’s oceans are receding from land
– we’re told it’s happening but it’s so incremental, most people wouldn’t have
the ability to perceive it.
What are your thoughts and expectations for 2015? Several men
and women in public ministry have made outspoken declarations about the big
moves of God for this year. Their words excite our ears and tickle our fancy
(what is a ‘fancy’, by the way?). Wouldn’t it be nice if it is true? I wonder
what the prophets of the day declared each new year when the Israelites were in
the desert, set adrift from their old life of captivity but not yet living in
their Promised Land?
I love big moves. I believe I am one of many who are on the
precipice of entering the Promised Land. It sounds exciting and fast-paced with
lots of action but the reality is lots of activity with very little forward
movement and more [a lot more] of what sustained me in the years prior.
I wish the words of big moves were true. For some, they will
be. And possibily the Holy Spirit will surprise me (he knows how much I love
surprises) but truthfully I’m subdued about expectations for the year. An
informal poll of friends over the past few weeks seem to have the same thoughts
as myself. This is a year of abiding. It’s not lack of faith or lost hope which
compels my contemplative thoughts; it’s deep faith in the words already spoken.
John 15 promises: abiding in Him produces fruit. It’s gonna happen. The passage
is referring to grape vines. Grapes take three years to begin to produce, and
before they do, they continue to do the next thing – they grow their roots,
they grow their limbs and they grow leaves to absorb the goodness of the Son
(sun).
If you aren’t feeling as excited as you think you should be,
relax. Do the next thing and keep abiding. If you are feeling this is your
year, then go for it, but still do the next thing.
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