At the start of a new year, I always have a want to set goals, write lists, make resolutions and then I realized...it isn't about my goals. Yes, I think it is important for me...it certainly is my personality to want to make lists, set goals, check the list, cross things off, etc. but I starting thinking about what was truly important and took some time over the past week to think about the basics...what does God want for me in 2010!
These are some things that stood out to me and things I want to focus on before I set my sights on completing my own list!
1. Who I am as a Christian (Ephesians 1:1-14)
As a Christian I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
He chose me in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be Holy and Blameless before Him. He predestined us. He gave us His grace, which he freely bestowed. In Him we have redemption, forgiveness. He made known to us the mystery of His will. We have obtained an inheritance. We that were the first hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. (my favorite)...We are sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit promise!
(Ephesians 2:1-10) He gave us mercy, His great love and we are alive together in Christ (by Grace I have been saved). I will be seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We received a Gift of God...for it is by grace through faith we are saved. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (love that last part!) The fact that we are his workmanship and that he prepared good works for us beforehand to walk within him is awesome!
(Ephesians 2: 19-22) We are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone.
So with all this in mind...what does God want me to be...it is simply spelled out in Ephesians 5...why is this so hard...well because we are sinners but how awesome it is to know I have the instructions laid out for me for 2010...and He is right there wanting me to join him in achieving these most important goals!
I am to be an imitator of God, walk in love, just as Christ also loved me and gave himself for me. I am to be a fragrant aroma (love that!). And verses 3-7 discuss what not to do/be...amongst them is impurity, greed, filthiness, silly talk, covetousness, idolater, deceit....and it says give thanks!
It is going to take me awhile to let all of this set in but I do know that when I read these verses...words and phrases that stood out to me were thanks and fragrant aroma, and good works, Grace, and faith all made me pause! I desire for 2010 to be a blessed year for my family, one where I can look back and say that our family acted in such a way that we were a "fragrant aroma" to God. I still have lists to make, goals to set, but most of all I want to teach the kids what it means to have Jesus as their savior..what it means to have him in our hearts! Every Day I need to step out of bed, and ask for help to be an imitator of God!
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