Daily Devotional: Friday, Jan 1
Speaker: Paul Diaz
Theme: First Things First
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Break My Heart by Mike Flathers; Hosanna by Paul Baloche; Sing to the King by Passion Worship Band; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong.
Read: Psalm 51:12; James 1: 22-25
Think: This year I promise to... In 2010 I really want to... I resolve to...Maybe I won't make any resolutions this year after all-I never keep them anyway. I have great intentions but not such good follow through. I realize I'm not alone because I know the gym is packed January and February each year but by March there are plenty of treadmills to go around.
New Year's is a great time to set goals and make some needed changes though. Maybe my track record isn't great overall, but there is one resolution I make and keep each year: To pursue Jesus with fresh enthusiasm.
We have a natural tendency to let our relationship with Christ get stale. It's been a problem for God's people throughout time - even the fathers of our faith had seasons of doubt, seasons of rebellion or just times of spiritually drought. When those times come, we are called to fight against it - and renew our faith! Just like King David prayed, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (Psalm 51:12).
As this New Year begins, resolve to do what it takes to recapture that joy. How that looks will be different for each of us. Maybe it's time to step up what you normally do for your time alone with God. Maybe it's keeping a journal. And this one is a definite for all of us, "Do not merely listen to the word... Do what it says" (James 1: 22).
Pursuing Jesus with fresh enthusiasm is one resolution we won't ever regret!
Do: Evaluate how you're doing in your walk with Christ. Step up your game and make any course corrections or commitments to pursue Jesus wholeheartedly and passionately.
Pray: God, I want the joy of your salvation to fall fresh on me again. Show me anything that is standing in the way of that joy and help me to take care of it. I commit again today, the first day of 2010, to pursue You Lord! In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
