Each day is a gift – not a promise.
While I have never been a huge fan of the popularized “New Year’s Resolution”, there is always value in pausing to reflect on where you are today in relation to months past… or years past. We can often believe the lie that we are no closer to our goals than when we started – or the opposite, that we are much further along than we really are.
So, the value of pausing to take a reality check and evaluate where you stand is generally a good thing.
But here is where many are deceived: a new year isn’t promised to anyone.
A new sunrise isn’t promised to you either.
The wisest man that ever lived wrote that we should “not boast in tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth.” (Prov. 27:1) Jesus himself said that we are incapable of adding a single hour to our lives (Luke 12:25) by worrying – and His brother said that while we may make plans, “we do not know what tomorrow will bring.” (James 4)
So don’t be deceived into thinking that you have an entire year ahead to pursue the Lord when God’s Word urges us to hear and obey His voice TODAY! (Hebrews 3:7-8)
Contrary to how the world views change – “How much weight have you lost?”, “How long have you lived here?”, “How much money have you made?” – which is a very ‘end results’ based model… the Lord looks at the heart. In a moment, the Lord can ‘remove our sins as far as the east is from the west.’ In a moment, we can declare ‘an enemy’ that which has long since been a familiar friend. The sin-of-choice that you have befriended over all these years can – with an instant declaration of your heart – become your enemy. And the Lord promises to deliver us from our enemies!
1 Samuel 16:7
….for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
If the Lord indeed looks at the heart – then a heart change can happen today… Now! Don’t assume you have 365 days in the year 2020 to get right with the Lord. If you need to repent and get your heart right with the Lord, He will listen to your heart’s cry. A sincere heart that calls out to The Savior will never be denied!
Many of us are deceived into thinking that we can indulge in our comfort-sin-of-choice a little while longer and then make things right. We have been deceived into believing that the grace of God will be there waiting for our timeline.
That’s not biblical.
God is not on our timeline – we are on His! I urge you to thank God for His grace to keep air in your lungs thus far up until this moment – and to realize that tomorrow is not promised to you or to me. It is NOW that we can seek Him. It is NOW that we can turn to Him and “repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
While tomorrow is not promised – you have been given today. Lord willing, you will be awakened to His new mercies tomorrow and begin 2020 in pursuit of His face.
While tomorrow may be the start of a new year, the only way to ensure that you will look back on 2020 in 365 days from now and call it a new beginning and a year of new vision and purity of heart is to realize that each day is a gift – not a promise.
God is not on our timeline – we are on His!
Brothers and sisters, if the Lord called you home tonight, would you be ready? Would He see a heart that is judged righteous on account of the blood of His Son shed in your place?
New Vision in 2020
I believe 2020 will be a year where the Lord offers new sight to the blind. I believe He is inviting you into a process that will allow you to see what He sees – in regards to both love and truth. To both sin and holiness.
But for many, in order to see rightly, He will “take our vision in order to restore His vision.” Just like Saul became blind on the road to Damascus for a few days until his sight was restored and he began a heart process that would transform him into a “Paul” who had true ‘eyes to see’, so too will many lose their ‘own vision’ (spiritual gifts, self-elevated positions etc) for a season in which the Lord will offer them His vision in newness of life.
Will you embrace each day you are given as a gift and an invitation into His processes in your heart?
There are many blind eyes – both in the church and in the world – that will be opened in 2020!
