It’s the last day of 2024!
Are you able to look back on it and see God’s faithfulness and goodness in your life?
Are you able to appreciate how he worked in you and your circumstances in order to draw you to himself? Today would be a great day to give specific praise to God for who he is and specific thanks for how he grew you through this past year.
Does your reflection bring about hope-filled expectations for the new year? No matter the circumstances God allows or brings about – for his glory and your good – the goal of deepening your relationship with him can apply to any aspect of your life. In fact, it should!
Faith in God through Jesus should be the core of who we are, directing our decisions and motivating our actions. Why do we do what we do? What guides our choices? How do we handle our circumstances? What do we choose as our priorities?
With hearts turned toward worship of God and service to him, our thoughts ought to be aligned with his. We can most directly learn his truths from reading the Bible. Meditating on them and keeping them at the forefront of our thoughts are necessary to having the ways of God permeate our mind and heart. With sincerity we then can say, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 NIV). Memorization of scriptures is activating: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV).
In our own strength, our first response does not naturally choose what honors God because by default we first choose ourselves. But our heavenly Father loves us so much that in his mercy he makes a way for us to abide in him. When we daily surrender our will to his, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to help us seek his will. May we remember that in God’s sovereignty and omniscience, his ways are best.
After receiving God’s Ten Commandments, Moses told the Israelites, “So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32 NIV, letter S in Do LAPS!). We can put into action trusting him, resulting in obedience. It is from an attitude of reverence and a heart of love that God wants us to obey him. Jesus told his disciples, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:23a NIV).
This new year, let’s make it our goal to honor God in loving obedience, setting our heart and mind on him.
Find out for yourself how helpful the Heart Training books are for meditating on and memorizing scriptures! Order a copy to work through as your new year unfolds.