2019 was a year of amazing ups & sorrowful downs. We have seen many come to know Christ & be baptized, while we have also had to say good-bye to many of our dear members. After a year such as this, we have to ask the question, “Where do we go from here?” A quote by C.S. Lewis has been making the rounds that seems fitting here. He has been credited as saying, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” So what can we do as we walk into 2020? I’d like to offer a few suggestions.
- Take prayer seriously
One thing we can know through Scripture is that prayer is a powerful tool for the believer. James 5:16 says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” We should take that to heart as we go into the new year.
Pray. Pray without ceasing. (1 Thess 5:17) Pray in your time alone with God. Pray with the church gathered. You cannot imagine how much God can do when we just surrender ourselves to Him.
- Pursue your “One” (Or get one & get started!)
- Gather with the church
Finally, COME TO CHURCH!!! Do you know how you spell priority? T-I-M-E. The things that fill your day and your calendar are the things that you prioritize. One of the ways that we show our faith to be a priority is showing up. We show up to worship. We show up to learn. We show up to be trained. We show up to serve.
There are lots of things calling to us to change our priorities, but they all have one thing in common: they want us to pursue worldly things. However, we have been called to pursue Christ. There is a lot of power in saying “no”; just make sure that you say “no” to the right things. Say “yes” to gathering with the saints, building up the body of Christ, and working together to see the nations reached for Christ!
Let 2020 be about loving God, loving others, and seeing as many as we can come to faith in Christ Jesus! Happy New Year & God bless!
