In my search for a verse for 2016, I reviewed my verses from previous years. each verse can be represented by a single word. Starting in 2011, these words have been SEEK, GO, SERVE, HOPE, and TRUST. In looking at these words, I see a progression. In SEEKing God's will, we followed when he said, GO. As we watched other Christians falling away, we reaffirmed that our home would SERVE the Lord. That commitment led to renewed HOPE and TRUST.
The word that comes to mind today is SURRENDER. All of these other words are good, but if I haven't fully surrendered I am going to continually succumb to my own fleshly desires. I know there are areas of my life that I struggle with, and until I give them completely to God, I will not have victory.
I didn't have far to look for my verse.
I want this verse to be more than words...I want it to be real in my life. I don't want to start out the year committing to 'doing' or 'being' better, only to find that somewhere along the way, I've lost that zeal, and I've slipped back into old habits....whether physically or spiritually. What I want is to truly be transformed...and unlike most years, I have no plan, no program, no idea really...exactly how that is going to happen; how this year will be different from any other year. And maybe that is the difference...maybe that is the first step toward surrender. All I know for sure is that HE is able, and I'm trusting in him to do a work in my life.
