Goodnight 2011.

Here we are again at the end of a year and at the doorway of another. As always, the questions that arise for me are, "What have I done this year?" "Did I accomplish anything that I set out to accomplish at the beginning of the year?" "Where did I drop the ball?"

On some level these questions that automatically pop into my mind this time of year surprise me. If someone asked me what questions would be important to ask at this time of year I'd probably come up with a completely different set. They might be something like, "How did I pursue God this year?" "How did I find myself pursued by Him?" "How did I love those around me this last year?" "What steps did I take to be more obedient to God this last year?" "What did I do to love my wife this year?" and finally, "What did I do to foster more hunger for Christ and foster that hunger in others?"

They may seem similar to the first set but the difference is subtly but definitively separate. The first set has to do with me measuring me and my success. The second set is still measurement but more a measurement of where God is on the move in and around my life. It becomes less about me and more about how He is lifted up and glorified through me and my choices. After all, ever since I was 15 years old, that became the homing beacon of my life. "Remember the cross." "Put Christ first above all for He alone is worthy." "Worship and cultivate hunger for the One who gave everything to know me and be known by me." "Love others as much as I love myself."

As I get older I'm reminded how a neglect of these questions and statements can turn a relationship with God into a religion about Him. It's my hope and prayer that I will continue to push further in to a true relationship with my Creator and that others would see less of me and more of the One who traveled far to live among us and draw us home into a loving relationship with Him.

As we say goodnight to 2011, let us all keep Christ deep in our hearts and as we remember how He came new into this world on a redemption mission, we too would go new into 2012 more in love with Him and in greater pursuit of the hurting and suffering.

Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”