Letting Go

I had already predetermined in my mind that 2017 was going to be all about prayer – not surface prayers, deep, cry-out-to-the-Father prayers, my life will now be about prayer and communication to and from my Lord.
I live four blocks from church and somehow managed to arrive late Sunday morning. Well, late for me; among other things I run the sound room and slides every Sunday morning, so when I got to church I had to get my computer hooked up to the projector and get the slides up; by the time I got done with that, Sunday school had already started and I didn’t want to disturb their class, so, I sat out in the sanctuary with the intent of completing my daily reading.
I ended up having some amazing alone time with God. Real time; with no one running around yelling ‘Mimi’ or ‘Mom’; just me and the Lord, and it was o so nice.
The Scripture and devotion I read were just what I needed; I love how the Lord lines all that up, He knows what we need and when we need it, so He laid it on the heart of the author of the devotion, to write that devotion using those Scriptures to be put in a book for that day!!! Isn’t God amazing!!!
The Scripture was Philippians 3:13-15, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”
I love how in this passage of Scripture Paul was telling us to forget the things of the past, they are gone! We need to be reaching forward and moving toward those things that are ahead of us, and what is untimely ahead of us? Eternal life.
What did Jesus say in Matthew 6:20? He told us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, not on earth. So, what are some heavenly treasures? How about serving others, teaching people who want to learn about the Lord, like a Sunday school class, or a ladies Bible study? Centering everything, every part of our lives, around the primary purpose set before us; know what that is? To worship, honor, glorify, have fellowship with, love and obey God. Everything we do and say should bring honor and glory to God. We have all been given the same basic purpose in life – worship, honoring, glorifying, fellowshipping, loving and obeying God AND telling everyone we meet about Jesus and His saving grace.
I laid the baggage of 2016 at my Lord’s feet Sunday, and wow, what a load it was! I didn’t realize how much I was lugging around with me until Sunday morning.
Since I’ve laid the baggage of 2016 down I feel like a new person and have begun with my new godly goal setting; I have a new step to my walk and I am even smiling more and joking around with my husband and children more! I even enjoyed doing the dishes this morning! God is so good!
Jenn