Make Jesus Your Default

Happy 2019 Ladies!

I hope your year is off and rolling well. I know this time of the year, we are all thinking about new goals and resolutions; mostly about our health and losing a few pounds, but also included in those could be financial goals, job goals, family goals, retirement goals and many others. Lots of people make reading the bible in a year a personal goal as well. We look to the new year as a fresh start, a re-do, a clean slate. While all these are great ideas and goals to pursue, let's not forget about the ultimate goal of making Jesus first in our lives. 

I think we can all say we've admitted to making Jesus our first priority daily as we begin a new year. We get up, set out to have our daily quiet times, pray, and spend much needed time alone to hear from God. We do well for a little while, then the routine of life, jobs, and kids set in again and we are thrown off, de-railed, and then, ultimately, we drop the ball and we spend less time with Jesus. We tell ourselves after a few early mornings with God that we will spend time with Him later in the day and then we don't. We get tired, distracted, and are just done for the day by 8:00pm; especially if you work outside the home. Days are long, days are hard, days are just rolling by and before you know it, another new year is upon us...yet again. 

Did we set out and accomplish all the goals we intended to do? Did we read the bible in a year and spend daily time with the Lord? Did we make any headway towards those things we wanted instead of ultimately what God wanted? 

Do we ask God first for what He wants for us every new year? Or do we just set out with our own agendas? I know I'm guilty! I set out determined to stay close to Jesus and end up straying. I default to my will. We all need to purposefully seek the Lord daily and meet Him where He wants us to be--His agenda, His goals for us, not our own. But it’s not easy, it’s a discipline.

I'm reminded of Martha's goal when Jesus came to her house. Her sister, Mary, was quietly waiting at His feet in the midst of His presence in their home, but Martha was frantic over the way the house looked and preparing a meal. As women, we all want our homes to be welcoming and everything in its place, but Jesus was in her home! My goodness, I think I would have stopped to just fall at His feet and cry...the Holy One, the Messiah was in my house. Now, not to disregard Martha and her hospitality agenda for Jesus, but I understand her womanly instincts to have everything perfect for Jesus and make Him feel welcomed. We all want that. We want anyone who enters our homes to feel welcomed into a clean and tidy environment. We want to serve our very best to them. 

I want to encourage you to make Jesus your number one goal this year. Not only this year, but for your life. Let's seek to find Him first in all that we do. Sure, we want to accomplish other things in our life, but let's talk and listen to our Savior and find out what He wants for us first and follow through with His plans. His plans and goals are much better than the ones we think we have for ourselves. Jeremiah 29:11 states, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to proper you and not to harm, you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I don't know about you, but those words from our Heavenly Father speaks volumes to me and I hope it does for you as well.

Friends, this new year, no matter what your goals are or what you are attempting to accomplish this year, make Jesus your first goal every day and then He will see you through. Psalms 37:4 states, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Seek the Lord first, delight in Him, and He will make your way.

New year, new goals. Will you make Jesus your first goal daily and allow Him to guide your path? My prayer is that you do as we all seek to trust Him more and pursue Him every day!

Blessings to you as we begin a new year together! May you be encouraged in the Lord today!

Stacy