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"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. he was in the beginning with God." John 1:1-2 ESV
"A fresh start is inspiring and oh so needed, but sometimes we don't feel bright and shiny, no matter what the calendar says."
"All things were made through him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:3-5 ESV
"We don't have the wait for the calendar to turn to begin anew."
"TODAY AND EVERYDAY HE IS OUR NEW BEGINNING."
Jesus thank you for your faithfulness. God, thank you for your Word, that I can discover you. Thank you for the devotions others write and your revelation to them. Open my heart to receive whatever you have prepared for me. Thank you for the countless second chances that you've given me. In this time, let your Spirit bring me the discipline to begin with you every day.
"THE FRESH START WE ARE ACHING FOR IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE DATE. JESUS IS THE BEGINNING OF THINGS GOOD AND WE ARE FOUND IN HIM."
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I don't have a long, outstanding revelation from this particular passage in scripture or devotional. However, I love how things just work out. God's timing, if you will. Over the past month or so, I know that God has been telling me one thing. Just one thing: Point to me. You see, I have a hard time "pointing to God" because the examples I've grown up with are so cheesy and seem so contrived. It's easy to point to God when I sing worship songs. The words are all right there in front of me and I can add my own inner monologue to them that lead me to truly point to Him and to worship him. But using my words every day... not on a stage with prepared thoughts? Ick. I might sound like those people I hate sounding like. I might sound like I'm stating the obvious. I might sound dumb and church-y (really, it makes my skin CRAWL and forms a knot in my stomach.) But this is the challenge that was given to me. It is as simple as I think it is, and I am pretty sure God has a plan for it.
It started when I saw an instagram picture, of all things, of a worship leader from Hillsong Church. We sing songs she sings, and my curiosity took me to her own instagram. I noticed that on most, if not all, of her pictures, she points to God. Thanking him, acknowledging him for the good things He has done or given... It was inspiring and I could tell it was something meant for me to notice. After that, I read something else, shoot, it might have been from Hillsong again (I don't even follow them regularly). It said "always point to Christ." Heck, it might have even been a picture of Taya Smith leading during a service! Whatever. Not coincidental. But it has been on my heart. How can I? What can I do? How can I do this if I'm not with Him regularly? Honestly, I can't. I can't expect Christ to just come out of me if I am not filling myself with him. I know that sounds more like vomit than an overflow of love, right? I know, I just said vomit in a post about God. I'm a new mom... give me a break. All we talk about is our baby's bodily excretions (Ew! There's another gross word)!
But, WOW, back to the point. God's timing, and here is where I point to Christ and stop talking about vomit.
I started to journal this first of John and the song, "Closer," by Bethel For The Sake Of The World, was on Pandora. The main idea is "Draw me a little closer, take me a little deeper, I want to know you more... How great your love is for me."
... and as I closed out my time in prayer (writing it down, because that's the only way I can really focus...) Rend Collective is playing, "Second Chance."
Oh, your cross, it changes everything
There my world begins again with you
Oh, your cross, it's where my hope restarts
A second chance is Heaven's heart
If that's not amazing for God's timing, I don't know what is.
In closing, I would like to note that in this first chapter of John, Jesus tells (in a way) Nathanael that he knows him and has seen him always, revealing himself as the Son of God through his miracles. Jesus responds to Nathanael's revelation by saying, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that."
The disciples saw a glimpse of the glory that God means for us to see. His miracles in our lives. We can count on Him to show us more, but we have to been looking. We have to be pointing to Christ in our own lives, if not to show others, then to show ourselves. I look forward to seeing more of God's glory as I continue in this study of John. My challenge is and will continue to be that I would point to Christ and that I would learn even more how everything begins and ends with Him. I know God is working for my good, and I need to acknowledge that every day. Thank you, God, for this revelation.
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