DEVOTIONAL | SHANNON MILLER
At the start of each new year, we tend to reflect on the outcomes of the previous twelve months, and our goals for the next. But by Groundhog Day, most resolutions are in tatters, and life is sweeping us along, farther and farther from the wisdom of introspection. Isn’t there a better way to steward our time?
The Bible advises us to live with an urgency that is not motivated by any of the usual concerns that shape our goals: “The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away,” (1 Corinthians 7:29b-31, NLT).
What does it look like to live with this urgency? Should we rush around to pack spiritual significance and religious achievement into every minute? Not exactly.
Our aim, in light of the brevity of life, should be to “understand what the will of the Lord is,” (see Ephesians 5:15-17) and follow it with steady but unhurried steps. We can rely on the example of Jesus, who lived a life of immeasurable significance by spending thirty years of it in quiet obscurity, and three in active ministry – and those at dinner tables, in fishing boats, and while washing feet. In the everyday moments, He remained focused on the purpose of His coming, and walked steadily toward the cross and the new Kingdom. However simple or humble our days may appear, we all have the opportunity to leave a mark by loving God and loving people. What is one step you can take today toward your purpose?
Recent Comments