There is a new a bandwagon out there replacing New Year’s resolutions; yes, I know we are in to the second month of the year and I am just writing this; but I did jump on this bandwagon two years ago and didn’t even know it! It stuck and I love it so I am going to share it with you. Ready? Throw those resolutions out the window because reality is and statistics tell us only 8% of us keep resolutions, and bring in [drumroll please]…Word of the YEAR. Don’t you love it? You pick one word or better yet, pray about what word to focus on for the year and listen to what the Holy Spirit says. Then post the word somewhere you can see it daily, and as day to day to life happens, keep that word in the front of your brain to help you know how to respond. Be prepared if you pray about it because you will get a word that will not make sense to you; or at least that was my experience.
Good news is it is still not too late to jump on this bandwagon. In fact, the first year I begin, we were already in March 2012 and I had not even heard of this new trend; but the Lord very clearly through scripture reading, prayer and life put the word “Steadfast” in my life. At the time, work was becoming a place of dread, the best way I know how to explain it is imagine you have graduated high school, college and graduate school; you begin a career and have much success for decades; then a new boss comes on the job and you are send back to Kindergarten to start over because nothing you do is right. Every project, presentation and email is scrutinized – or – just plain ignored and the project or presentation dies due to lack of feedback or approval. It was one of the most difficult times in my career; but things changed and are MUCH better now.
I thought the reason “Steadfast” was given to me was because I needed to be still and know that He is God and remain steadfast in my work. So I did, even though I felt it was time to move on and find a new career. While God did come through on my work through my steadfastness it wasn’t His reason for my word of the year. You see, I thought my job was the reason and purpose for my word and it may have been partially true, but He had so much more for me. After all, His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. He showed me the real reason for my word of the year and it was something I totally didn’t realize I needed, but He knew. In fact, I thought I already knew it, but I secretly struggled if it was really true…His steadfast love for me…a wicked sinner.
Through His Word, prayer and His people, He shouted, usually when I hear Him speak to me it is through a small and gentle voice, but this truth, His steadfast love for me, He shouted! My heart leaped and I lowered my heart in unbelief and gratitude realizing for the first time that indeed He truly LOVED me, for who I was and am. I mean I knew it, factually, that He loved me, I’ve read it, I’ve sung it but I didn’t know, KNOW it, my heart didn’t know it (or accept it)….but it does now.
“Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in Your truth.” Psalm 26:2-3
Test and tried…Yes.
Heart and mind examined…Yes.
His Love ever before me…Yes!!
Walk continually in His truth… Yes, Lord let it be.
The beauty of this word love (NIV) and lovingkindness (KJV) in the original Hebrew translation is “mercy,” “lovingkindness,” “steadfast love,” “compassion,” and even “goodness”. The Hebrew word is “chesed” and is one of the thirteen attributes of God that Jewish sages derived from the study of God’s revelation to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7. (Source: Hebrews4Christians.com)
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Me a wicked sinner…forgiven and saved by MUCH grace. Through this “Word of the Year” experience I also learned that words in our realm of thinking are defined by Webster and sometimes ourselves; but words in God’s realm take on a whole new meaning and often a meaning we had no idea we needed. My next post I will share again about the second word he has given me.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
No comments:
Post a Comment