Category: A Moment with the Master

We are often fascinated by the unique while not recognizing the wonder of the normal. For instance, a day is considered unique when dates make interesting numbers. This past New Year’s Eve, the date was “123123.” I see things like this throughout the year, where specific days are highlighted because of some unique numerical feature. And that’s all well and good. But here’s what we should not miss—today is unique.

It may not be a holiday. Today’s date may have no exciting outcome. But still, today is incredibly unique. Why? Because there never has been and never will be a day exactly like this one. Oh, you may do many of the same things today as you did yesterday and will do tomorrow. But today will still happen only once. Thus, every day is unique and special. Every day, including today, is a special gift from God. Never overlook or discount the value of today.

As we start a new year, perhaps you’ve considered last year’s resolutions and how well you did with them. Maybe you’re pleased, or perhaps you’re disappointed. Most of us struggle to accomplish all the goals and resolutions we set out to tackle. And truth be told, even when we are successful, there’s still plenty of room for more growth. And there always will be. We’ll never reach perfection—at least not in this life. But there is a time coming for the faithful when perfection will be a reality.

In Hebrews 12, the writer paints an amazing picture of what we are a part of. In verse 23, he says we have come to “…the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.” What a hope. Even though this year will be filled with failures, if we remain faithful, we are marching toward an existence in which God will make us perfect. That’s a goal worth working toward.

New years bring new resolutions, many focusing on diet and health. Especially after a holiday season in which most of us eat more than we should and probably eat some pretty unhealthy things, like sweets, there may be a big focus on our diet. January is often the month to “cut out the sweets.” But there is a time when sweetness and health can exist together! Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”

Our words are powerful. They can build up or tear down. And while gifts of candies and sweets might be enjoyed for the moment, the gift of gracious speech can have a lasting impact on others.

Your kind words might turn someone’s day around. Your gracious speech might give them the extra strength they need. You might provide that spark of light on a dark day that strengthens and nourishes their spirit. Choose your words wisely, and speak gracious words.

Do you ever see a sign or advertisement and think it says one thing, only to realize you misread it? I do that quite frequently. Sometime back, I saw an ad on Facebook that I thought said, “Build a waiting habit.” I thought that was different, so I took a second look and realized it said, “Build a writing habit.” That made more sense. But I kept thinking about it and realized that building a waiting habit would be a great idea!

Waiting sounds easy—why would we have to train ourselves to wait or work at a habit of waiting? But we are not very good at waiting. We prefer busyness and instant gratification. But God’s people are often exhorted to “wait.” Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Trusting God’s timing and worshipfully waiting for Him doesn’t come naturally—it’s a mindset that must be trained. So why not start building a waiting habit today?

Affirmation culture continues to grow and prosper in our society. While positive thinking might be good, affirmation often goes far further than it should. A phrase from this mindset that has gained popularity is “You are enough.” Even in religious circles, people often say something like, “Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid. You’ve got this! You are enough!” At first, that sounds nice and encouraging. And I imagine most people who say such things are just trying to encourage others. But are we, on our own, enough?

The Bible repeatedly exhorts us, “Don’t be afraid.” But the reason we can overcome fear isn’t that we are enough; it is that if we are serving God, then God is with us. Men like Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, Solomon, and others were all exhorted to be courageous, and all were told to do this because the Lord was with them. Don’t try to overcome fear, anxiety, or any other issue of life by yourself. Find real strength and courage in the arms of the Almighty God.

Hello, and Happy New Year! Every day of life is a blessing from God, but it certainly feels extra special when that day brings an entirely new year. New years are exciting because they hold so much potential. Several Bible verses teach about newness in one way or another. We are told God makes all things new; God’s children are a new creation; when we obey the gospel, we experience new birth, and so on. But today, I want to consider a phrase that pops up in the Psalms.

Six times in the Psalter, we read something about a new song. For example, Psalm 96:1 says, “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!” That’s a thought worth pondering today! If you could describe last year as a song, what would it? What will your song be this year? Maybe this year, it’s time for a new song—a song of love and devotion to the Lord of Lords!