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Hello Kathryn,
I hope that you are well rested from all the holiday hustle and bustle and that you are ready for a brand-new year. I don’t know about you, but for me, 2023 was a hard year. It was filled with much change and hard work.
At the beginning of each year my husband and I talk about the previous year and what we would do differently in the next year. This past year I feel that I got out of balance. The number of tasks that we need to do each day can get overwhelming. That to-do list can lead us to neglect the most important things that keep us alive. I told my husband this year I want to slow the pace. I am trying not to plan too much in one day and trying not to be so busy just for the sake of keeping busy.
In our quiet time is when our ears can be tuned into what the Lord has to say to us. We are three weeks into this year and I told my church that time is going by so fast and prophetically it is later now than it ever has been. The signs of the times are all around us. I feel more impressed than ever to say that the rapture is closer than we actually think. The return of the Lord for the church is soon and we must have an urgency to speak the truth in love more so now than ever before.
I know that many may say that I hope that is a long time away but what does that mean for me today? 2nd Peter 3:11 says, “what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” Some people describe holiness as how you dress, look or the things that you avoid. God defines holiness as Christ-likeness which is manifested from the condition of the heart. If we love God we will be known by our love for our brethren. I believe Godly love is what opens the door to witness to those who are lost.
So, I challenge you today to think about this question. Am I known to be a Christian by the things that I do not do or the things that I do? Holiness is not a list of does and don’ts. It is a heart that is in constant communion with the Holy Spirit which directly leads to a flesh that is under subjection.
In 2024 I invite you to slow down the pace, take time to hear God’s voice, and practice Godly love for others. You will see yourself draw closer to Christ and take on the image of Christ rather than yourself.
Until next time,
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