We are only a few days until 2023 is replaced by 2024. This is a great time to get ready for changes we want to build into the new year.
In light of that, I have been struck with Paul’s prayers for two special churches. He knew the believers in Ephesus very well. Most of those in Colossae were known to him only by name and reputation. But, he prayed the same thing for them both. It is his prayer for all of us. He asked God to help them, “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10; Ephesians 4:1). The sense is to, “live your life as is fitting for one who belongs to Jesus”. What a terrific challenge for the new year!
In Colossians 1, we hear the essential ingredient to living as one who belongs to Jesus; “be filled with the knowledge of His will…. so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”.
Be filled with knowing Jesus’ will for you! This is an awesome thought! First, that Jesus has a will for you, that He cares enough to have a certain way He wants you to walk, has specific things He wants you to do, to avoid, to prioritize, as you launch 2024! Second, that Jesus has designed ways to make that will known to you!
The primary way that we learn His will, is through His Word. Listening, meditating, studying, having our thinking shaped and molded by the living Word of God, as it is spoken into our life situations each day.
I want to introduce you to a Bible App that I have used for many years in my own time with God each morning. It is called the OliveTree Bible app. The free App has Scripture and multiple resource tools to help you read and understand it. It also enables you to highlight verses, write notes and keep them in folders, and see the passages in a variety of versions. There are some free study resources and countless ones you can purchase to augment your study. There are also many different Bible reading plans. Some take all year. Some are for 30 days, etc.
Let’s make 2024 a year that is worthy of our relationship with Jesus! Let’s do it Paul’s way…. By being listeners to His Word, having our minds filled with a knowledge of his will for us.