If you are anything like me, you spend December 31st waiting on something to fall out of the sky. Not real festive, I know but tradition is tradition. I am a bit of a sentimental so I enjoy quietly reflecting on another year in the books and I certainly love giving my wife a smooch when the ball falls over Times Square. This year will most likely be no different; complete with all of the pomp and circumstance of a living room lit only by the dim light of television.
There is something about this tradition though. Every year we look for another opportunity to do something that we wish we had done in the past. We long for the endurance and perseverance to accomplish something great in the next year that we haven't completed or succeeded in before. Often times these things that we call resolutions don't even last more than a couple of weeks, if that. There's always next year, right? Well, as we all know, not necessarily. We have only been given right now. The past is in the history books and we are living in the present as God sees fit. This year I am challenging myself, my family, and my church to live in the moment. This is not to say that we can't have plans. Not only can we, but we absolutely should. I am only attempting to say that we should not let the opportunities presented in our routine lives pass us by.
A common phrase that is bantered about by my generation, (yes I am a millennial), is YOLO. I can almost see some of your eyes rolling. This phrase simply means that You Only Live Once. The underlying message behind it is that you should take every opportunity to do something meaningful because you may not get the chance again. The urges that you are encouraged not to resist by this phrase are typically fleeting, possibly even trivial things. This is most certainly not the sentiment behind what I am attempting to get across.
Jesus expects and deserves excellence. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth and said "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). Whatever you do. Whether you are eating, drinking, working, playing, cleaning the car...whatever. Do it for the glory of God. Not all of us were called to be pastors. Not all of us were called to be doctors, nurses, teachers, janitors, farmers...but all of us are called to leverage our lives for the glory of God. You can do what you are already doing but change your perspective, change your outlook, change your motivations and align the things that you are already doing for God's glory. Do you go to the grocery store? Share your faith with the clerk. Do you eat out at restaurants? Glorify God with your your generosity to your server. Do you have coworkers? Invite them to church. It's just everyday life. Again Paul writes, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col. 3:17). Just be who God designed you to be, live according to His will, and live a meaningful and intentional life.
This year my encouragement to you is to leverage your everyday life (whatever you do, in word or deed), to do it in the name of Jesus and bring glory to God! Because YOLO!!! Am I right?!!!
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