Have you noticed the media buzz around the notion of reducing New Year’s Resolutions down to a one theme word? This word replaces that long, often forgotten and hard-to-keep list of resolutions and is intended to envelop all your aspirations for a new year.
Some of the favorites across our country have been: Simplify, Intentional, Strengthen, Commit, Adventure, Live, Forgive, Grace, Apply.
Well, I hate to open the brand new year with a confession, but here it goes…..
I missed the bandwagon and never came up with a New Year’s theme!
But Seriously?
A one-word theme?
For the whole year?
What a daunting task! I bear a humbling resemblance to the Downton Abbey character whose motto is, “Why say in three words what you could say in thirty?” How does one plagued with too many words, narrow her year’s theme down to one? If I’m down-right honest, I’m simply not bright enough to become convinced I had picked the right word.
So I put it off…
……until yesterday!
During some of the relaxing post-Christmas moments I’ve grown to cherish, the following verses from the Bible seemed to jump off the pages and into my spirit. They began to strum an enticing melody in my soul as I ventured back to revisit them several times over the past few days. I pondered the possibility of Holy Spirit’s help in selecting a theme for my coming year.
Here were the passages that gripped me:
- Paul’s words to the church in Corinth challenged my commitment: 15 I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you… Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you.( 2 Cor 12:15a, 19b)
- A prophecy in Isaiah challenged my motives: Our hearts desire is to glorify your name. (Isaiah 26:8b)
- The Lord’s inquiry challenged my activity: Does the farmer always plow and never sow? Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting? The farmer knows just what to do for God has given him understanding. The Lord is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom. (Isaiah 28:24,26,29)
Each time I read these verses, the questions lessened and longing in my soul increased. O.K. Father, here it is: I desperately want to spend more of myself for others! I long to quit plowing and start planting that Your name might be glorified!
Could I trust the One who gives perfect understanding to teach me how and when to sow good seeds of Truth, kindness, availability, hope, encouragement, compassion, grace, and forgiveness?
What unseen joy is available to anyone who would spend herself for the lives of others by planting seeds….
- Into fertile soil: that someone might celebrate a harvest of maturity, of joy, of faithfulness
- Into weary soil: that someone might finally take a deep breath of peace and trust
- Into cracked and broken soil: that someone might know restoration and healing
- Into exposed and unguarded soil: that someone might grow lush boundaries of protection to secure her valued soul
- In weakening soil: that someone might discover Jesus to be a trustworthy and unshakable Rock on which to build her life.
I’m still not sure I can reduce my thoughts into a one word theme, but I’ve finally narrowed it down to two:
Spend & Plant
I choose to spend more of myself and all that I have that I might plant seeds to strengthen others.
Now that you’ve heard my theme, let’s hear yours!
Beauty Awaits…
Patty