January

“SO DO NOT FEAR, FOR I AM WITH YOU; DO NOT BE DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU AND HELP YOU; I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.”

ISAIAH 41:10 NIV

JANUARY 1

Something New

“I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland”

ISAIAH 43:19 NLT

Whether you have generated a color-coded list of goals, dreams, and an execution plan for the next 365 days or you’ve banned resolutions and vowed to make this just another day on the calendar, the clean slate represented by the first day of a new year is filled with an undeniable air of expectation. The excitement of a new bauble or gadget pales in comparison to the promise of a new beginning. Deep down inside, there is a part of us which thinks, “This could be my year!”

Guess what? It is your year. This day, and every one that follows, is yours. It is yours to choose who and how to love, to serve, and even to be. And the choice you made in reading this page represents the choice to take this journey in the company of your heavenly Father. That is a beautiful place to start.

Heavenly Father, I give you this year. I ask that you would help me keep you in the forefront of my mind as I make decisions and plans. I want to seek your advice in everything I set my hand to.

JANUARY 2

All Things New

He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

REVELATION 21:5 NKJV

The most beautiful thing about the God we’ve entrusted our lives to is that he makes all things new. That is a faithful statement—it has always been true and will always be true.

As we begin a new year, empty and full of both bright promise and worrisome unknown, we can rest our souls in the truth that our God will make everything new. Our regrets, mistakes, and failures are nothing compared to his covenanted promise of redemption and newness.

Thank you, Jesus, that you make all things new. Thank you that your Word is faithful and true, and I don’t have to doubt your promises. Bring newness to my life this year. Take my regrets and turn them into new beginnings.

JANUARY 3

Invisible

The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.

PSALM 33:13-14 NLT

Are you feeling invisible today? You may be surrounded by a crowd of people and yet feel alone and isolated. This may be how the woman who needed a healing touch from Jesus felt, but was convinced he would never notice her among so many. She reached out and touched him, and found him fully aware. Hagar, Sarah’s servant, was driven from her home by her angry mistress. Wandering lost and alone in the wilderness, God saw her and became her deliverer.

It’s difficult to comprehend that as small and insignificant as we are in time and space, God sees each of us and even knows our name. Others may not seem to notice or understand, but God knows our whole story. He is always present, all-seeing, all-wise. No matter where we are, God sees.

I am so thankful, Lord, that you not only see me physically, but you see into my heart and mind and know my every thought. Help me always to remember that I am never invisible to you.

JANUARY 4

Lord Make Me Patient… Right Now!

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

EPHESIANS 4:2 NIV

It has been said that a prayer for patience is a dangerous one because in order to develop it, trials need to come. Patience is developed with much practice; even the simple act of waiting—for anything really—is good practice. Think of the patience Jesus has with us. Before we knew Christ, he waited patiently for us to come to repentance. When we fail to trust him and worry and complain about our circumstances, he waits until we’re ready to turn to him once again. He puts up with our foibles and inconsistencies and loves us anyway.

Are you being called to a new level of patience these days? Are you bristling with frustration and anger at things that aren’t going your way? Are spiritual growing pains about to wear you out? Then it’s time to kneel once again at the throne of grace and ask for help in your time of need.

Oh Lord, forgive me for my impatience today. I am going to pray a bold prayer and ask that you would develop the quality of patience in my life. Help me to cooperate with the process.

JANUARY 5

My Identity

Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.

1 PETER 2:10 NLT

There is an emphasis in society on the importance of “finding ourselves.” It seems a valid endeavor. We need to know our gifts and skills and have an outlet for them: a purpose for living. We need an identity. As Christians, we have one! First Peter says we are living stones in God’s spiritual temple, royal priests, a chosen people, God’s very own possession. Before Christ, we were without identity and purpose.

Have you lost your identity somewhere along the way? Maybe you’ve lost your footing as you’ve dealt with daily responsibilities? Reaffirm who and whose you are. You are one who belongs to Christ, called out of darkness to shine Christ’s light in this world!

God, I want to reaffirm that I am your child. I am forgiven, I have a new name, and I am part of your kingdom. You have called me out of darkness to show others your goodness. My identity is in you!

JANUARY 6

Not Our Own

I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. So correct me, LORD, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.

JEREMIAH 10:23-24 NLT

Jeremiah, a prophet of God, was called to reveal the sins of the Israelites and warn them of coming judgment. His pleas were ignored and the consequences fell when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. Prior to that catastrophe, Jeremiah made one of the most profound statements in the Scriptures. The Israelites insisted on following the lead of the idolatrous nations around them doing things their own way. They seemingly forgot they were God’s chosen people and that God had lovingly directed their steps. In their independence, they fell into sin and lost the promised presence of God.

I wonder how many times we forget whose we are and begin to think we can plan our own course in life. Perhaps we are not happy with God’s direction and are resisting the road he has asked us to walk. Maybe today you need to pray with Jeremiah:

Correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die. I repent of my independence and once again surrender to your direction.

JANUARY 7

Smelling Good!

Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-15 NLT

What are your favorite fragrances? Freshly baked bread, honeysuckles, lilacs, brewing coffee, or crisp fall air? An aroma can catapult you back in years to a childhood memory or cause an emotion or mood to suddenly arise within you as it links you to a past experience. A woman wearing a lovely perfume shares the fragrance as it permeates the space around her, wafting gently through the air.

Christ wants us to live our lives so that no matter our location, we are disseminating the sweet-smelling perfume of the gospel which then rises up to glorify God. Our gentle, quiet spirits, the peace and joy we exhibit, the kindness, love, and patience we show to others will cause people to turn their heads and say, “What smells so good? I want some of that!”

Oh Jesus, help me to live my life exhibiting your character in everything I do and say. I want to smell good so that my life draw others to you.

JANUARY 8

Taming the Untamable

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

PSALM 141:3 NIV

What a challenge it is for women to master their tongues! Has yours been out of control lately? It is said that women use an average of 20,000 words a day, while men only speak 7,000. With that many words pouring out of our months every day, there is simply a greater possibility that some of them will be hurtful, unkind, and harmful.

What’s to be done with our tongues? James describes them as a fire that is untamable by man. One moment it praises God; the next it curses man. What a dilemma! It’s so wonderful to know that just like the other challenges we face, we can run to God for a solution. He does what we cannot do, but we must do our part. Meditate on the Word so that Scripture flows easily and our consciences are tender. Determine to speak more about God and less about others. And finally, pray with the psalmist:

Set a guard over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Help me, Lord, to speak words of life to those around me. Help me to swallow words that harm and speak only words that uplift.

JANUARY...