Today is my favorite meal of the year. My MIL prepares a Japanese feast in celebration of the new year and it. is. something. else. I look forward to her Ozoni (Japanese New Year soup) every year.
This year Christmas Day and New Year's Day fell on a Sunday! And while that may have disrupted the normal celebrations, I enjoyed worshipping on Christmas Day and ushering in the New Year in the same posture of praise.
God's faithfulness and righteousness were intricately weaved through the stories in our family this year - through Josh and I and also through the kids. I am so grateful. One of the ways that God brought me to a deeper understanding of Him is through my discovery of theologian Phylicia Masonheimer. She has a podcast called Verity that has taught me so much about the Bible, about the heart of God, and what our heart towards God should be. It's like being able to take theology classes without having to actually take the class.
We had part of the cousin crew over for sleepovers the other night and we read through 1 Samuel 7:3-17 that talked about the terrible predicament the Israelites were in before they went to battle against the Philistines. Samuel told the people, IF you direct your heart to God and serve Him only, I will give you this victory. And they did and so He did. After they won the battle Samuel set up an altar using stones and called it Ebenezer (the Lord has helped us) as a reminder to them of how God was faithful.
So we used some rocks from our yard and built our own Ebenezer altar. Each of them taking a rock and sharing how God had been faithful to them this past year. I cried listening to their hearts. One of my Loves had a prayer that they have yet to see how God will be faithful in it so we set it on the side until we have seen that answered prayer.
My own Ebenezer Stone is seeing my most Treasured Gifts turn their hearts to God, and to see His faithfulness in their lives.
I don't know what this year will bring - surely the good and also the hard, but I do know that I am committed to walking with God through all of the things. My pursuit of Him is my worship, my constant pouring of oil on the feet of Jesus.
May your pursuit of Jesus be at the forefront of your life this year too. Remember, He works all things for your good and His glory. Happy New Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment