Nearly a new year on the calendar, and I am enjoying the ritual of setting goals and making plans for 2008. It's one of my favourite parts of 'the holidays', this helpful sense of a clean slate and a new beginning. It's completely illusory, of course, but helpful none-the-less, and a fitting thing to ponder in the deadness of Winter.
I have a few tangible plans - learning to drive, continuing to play the piano, and really working on my physical strength so that I can go without crutches permanently, not even needing them at certian points in the month. Useful thoughts about being organized and dealing with the clutter, too, but those tend to be, shall we say, ongoing goals.
But most importantly there are spiritual challenges to face, and two things in particular to mention. One phrase that keeps rolling around my mind in recent weeks is 'an undivided heart'.
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11
I do not have an undivided heart. There are instances in which I find myself distracted by temptation which has idolatry at the root of it. So this year it will be my determined goal to deal with the idolatry in my heart.
Related to that is holiness. It is too easy to putter through life, not sinning greatly, but not pursuing holiness either. So I am going to purpose to start each day making the conscious choice to go after holiness in my life, and to refuse to be discouraged by those times in the day when I will inevitably fail.
I realize my blog readers may have no trouble pursuing holiness and shunning idolatry, however subtle, but if you do have difficulties with these things, I'm going to try and blog some of this work as I go, and I invite you to join me in it.
12/29/2007
Beginning a work.
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10 comments:
Oh, I hear you on the whole clutter issue!! I find it so tiring to have clutter. Keeps my mind cluttered, too!
And I heard you on the divided heart thing....
I like your comment: "It is too easy to putter through life, not sinning greatly, but not pursuing holiness, either." All too true. I see it in myself daily.
"It is too easy to putter through life, not sinning greatly, but not pursuing holiness, either."
Uh. Oops. Thanks for the lightbulb moment, Libbie! Time to get to work on my resolutions. I might write that down and keep it to hand as a reminder.
All the best for 2008 :)
Anna
These were very well spoken words. Your faith in Christ is so very evident.
Thanks for sharing your heart.
I want to pray more this 2008. I want to pray every morning that the Father would give me His Holy Spirit. Not that I don't have the Spirit.
But to simply believe what our Lord said: " .. how much more will heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" Luke 11:13
I pray I would pray much more in 2008, so that i can bring more glory to the name of Christ. Amen
I have realized lately that I too have been "puttering through life" I just posted this morning about how I just let life happen to me. I need to write this down as a reminder too. I so much want to pursue holiness, but the reason I don't comes down to a total lack of discipline. Thanks for the great post, and count me in!
Here's to a new year and a fresh new start :)
I too wish to pursue holiness. I would be happy to share the journey with you :¬)
Any help/advice in pursuing holiness and shunning idolatry would be most profitable.
Blessings to you for the new year.
An "other side of the same coin"-type of text for the year might be I Cor 10:31 - "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God".
Let's pursue holiness as we develop a passion for the glory of God in every area of life - even the little things like eating and drinking.
I found your name on pyro so did a quick hit on it. I see you are a homeschool mom. I was a homeschool dad for my son. He loved it and did very well. my prayers are with you for doing the right thing. may God bless you and your family.
till His nets are full
God bless
Brian
I realize my blog readers may have no trouble pursuing holiness and shunning idolatry, however subtle...
Well, not this one! I pray that all your goals in the New Year are met, God willing. I can't wait to read more of your writings, especially now that I'm back at college and I don't have to deal with the slow Internet issues on my family's decade-old home computer. ;-)
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