Jumping Into the New Year
How can I tell when an opportunity is coming?
We work best when the pulse of our fingertips beats with constant grip on life’s controls. We work best when we arrange and analyze and allocate all the parts of situation to provide ourselves with the best odds at succeeding before we commit. We work best when our minds understand all of the explanations. And with such strategy we have done some terrific work – work to be proud of. But let me ask you, “Has that always been enough? Will that always be enough? Do you simply want to play the odds and roll the dice?” The lottery enterprise in our nation is goes wacky hoping that Joe and Jane consumer will conclude that their odds at winning the next lottery improve because people like Andrew Whittaker, Jr. claim a $314.9 million Powerball jackpot – but the present odds are not impacted in the least by one person previously beating the odds!
The devil, salivating over your soul like a lion over a hunk of steak, is hoping for you to conclude that since you made it just fine last year without praying as much as you’d like you can do the same in 2005 … since you handled life’s stress last year without losing it that you can do the same in 2005 … since your support system of friends, family, and finance got you through some rough moments last year they will do the same in 2005. Then the devil will pull his invisible trap door underneath what you value the most and it will drop from existence. Can you, then, give glory to God? Can you, then, tell others how blessed you are? Can you, then, put your feet on the floor each morning and hold your head high to face each day with confident joy? Not even Job could do that.
The odds are against you, and the devil knows it, and you will fail! Unless God is on your side. And remember, God works best when you turn to him with no solutions of your own. God fills you best when you come to him empty, forsaking your own strength and this world’s wisdom and focusing on his rightness and saving grace. “My salvation will last forever,” he compares himself to the world’s way, “my righteousness will never fail” (Isaiah 51:6).
What will you find this year? You’ll find the same thing that Abraham found when he had nothing to offer, nothing he could do to bear a son, no solutions. Abraham took hold of the one thing that found him: the gracious and miraculous promise of God, a promise going against all logic and every bit of common sense. You’ll find yourself financially struggling – both in amount and in attitude – with the demands of God for firstfruits financial offerings. But you’ll also find the promises of a gracious God to work a miracle that goes against all logic and every bit of common sense, and it will help you give not from your plenty but from your poverty like the widow in the temple and in doing so you’ll receive a return from God greater than what you give. You’ll find yourself struggling with the fortitude to take a courageous stand in your faith when it could be embarrassing to your profession or too demanding on your busy schedule. But you’ll also find the promises of a gracious God to work a miracle that goes against all logic and every bit of common sense, and it will help you let your light shine like Joseph and Daniel and in doing so your beneficial relationships and busy schedule will be helped not harmed. You’ll find yourself struggling with forgiving sins of the past, both yours and others who have hurt you. But you’ll also find the promises of a gracious God to work a miracle that goes against all logic and every bit of common sense, and it will help you let go of any guilty responsibility of yours or others because Jesus has taken it away and taken care of it forever.
An ambitious young man asked an experienced salesman for the secret of his success in selling. The salesman said, “There’s no great secret, you just have to jump at every opportunity.” The young man replied, “But how can I tell when an opportunity is coming?” The salesman responded, “You can’t. You just keep jumping.” It’s hard to tell the future, but if you keep looking at and listening to the promises of God, continually jumping off the narrow ledge of logical conclusions and into his wide open arms of love, you’ll find success and blessings. And those aren’t odds. Those are promises.
PRAYER: Here we are, Lord, another year and I know I’ll face the same temptations and pressures. I know I’ll have opportunity to log the same disappointments and letdowns. Will you be with me so that I do not fail? Will you strengthen me when I struggle with my sinful doubts and human desires? Will you remember me when I obey your will trusting that the consequences will help me and not harm me as you promise? I believe you will because you have given me your word. So let’s go. Together. And it’ll be a great new year! Amen.