– Scripture:

                 Bringer of Good News

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor,  heal the eartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives,  pardon all prisoners.  God sent me to announce the year of his grace a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies  and to comfort all who mourn,  To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,  give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,  Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.  Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”  planted by God to display his glory.

                                Isaiah 61:1–5 MSG

– Reflection:

Who among us doesn’t need more goodness and more light? That’s a rhetorical question, of course. And when’s a better time to increase our intentionality about increasing our holiness than at the beginning of a new year? That’s rhetorical, too. God’s at work in us, every one of us, whether we can see it or not. He’s working to transform our character into the character of his son, our King, and savior, Jesus Christ. And he’ll continue working until the work is complete.

Where do we go from here?

Consider the past twelve months. What was good? Who was good for you? What worked? What wasn’t so good? What didn’t work? Now, commit to a simple, practical, achievable plan for bringing more of what’s been good and worked for you into the next twelve months and less of what wasn’t and didn’t.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, when we get intentional by looking at the choices we’ve been making, whom we’ve been spending time with, the practices we’ve been engaging in, and the experiences we’ve been enjoying. We get intentional by reflecting upon those choices and their results. We get intentional by deciding which relationships, practices, and experiences we’d like more of as we advance because they increase holiness and which we’d like less because they don’t. It is a blessing to have you in our lives. Amen.