Into the year
The days left behind, a curtain of blackness
The landscape before, unchartered and strange
No footsteps to follow,
But one solitary Light…..
Each year I choose a bible verse for the upcoming year that
I feel is something God is wanting to do in my life or express to me. This year my verse is “Come
near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and
purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (NIV)
This verse is divided into three parts:
In the first part of
the verse I am given the result of following the prescription; that as I move
closer to God that He will draw near to me and help me. I like how He gives the
result first; He is telling me that first I need to draw near to Him, just the
way that I am.
In the second part “Wash your hands, you sinners,” I am given
part of the prescription – to wash my hands – letting me know that action is
required on my part and I am given my prognosis – I am a sinner.
Hands represent how we interact in the world around us, the
things we do, how we deal with others – how we serve others. God is saying that
I need to deal with the wrong ways that I have treated people and renew my
commitment to helping others rather than taking care of my own selfish desires.
Sin represents death
so to have such a prognosis is serious. I have a choice; to continue on the way
that I am which leads to death in relationships and death in living a
victorious life or to wash my hands. Washing takes a concerted effort. We wash
our hands not once but many times a day. Throughout my day I need to examine my
heart and change my ways.
The third part of the verse is an even stronger prescription
along with another prognosis, “purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Purify means to purge and is a process whereby impurities and
things hindering my life are removed with God’s help. The prognosis is
double-mindedness; a spiritual condition that affects the mind whereby in one
moment I want to live a righteous life while in the next, I am going in the
opposite direction. God is telling me that it is only by allowing Him to purify
my heart that I can be free to follow Him with my whole heart, mind and soul.
This year I endeavour to draw near to God in my life, examining
my heart and making changes where He asks me to. My writing is just an outward expression of
what is in my heart and so I can only improve my message as I listen to God’s
message to me. There really is no one else to follow on this path, no
footprints to guide me, as we all have different journeys; no one else – except
Jesus – who lights my path.
"I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the
light of life." John 8:12 (NIV)
