Jump Start # 1006

Proverbs 25:25 “Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.”

  Today is the last day of the year. New Year’s eve—a time for reflection of the past and resolutions and hope for the future. How does a person measure what kind of year it has been? Has it been good? Has it been average? Has it been a bad year?

We might measure it in terms of finances. Major corporations do that. At the end of the year, if the profits are up, then it has been a successful year. We might do the same. Are we better off financially at the end of the year? The stock market has been setting near records and if a person has been invested then he is worth more now that he has been. Does that mean it’s a good year? Gotten out of debt? That’s great. Does that mean it’s been a good year?

We might measure the success of a year in terms of how many bad things avoided us. We know of several families who spent part of the year in the hospital and had long recoveries from surgeries and injuries. We know other families that had to bury loved ones this year. Some friends of mine passed away this year. For those families, the year has been long and hard. They have had to figure things out, and move on with someone significant in their life missing. Others did not have that. They escaped the year without any major car accidents, health issues, or trips to the funeral home. Is the measurement of a year based upon how many bad things we avoided?

We might measure the success of a year in whether or not we kept and completed our goals for the year. Some were on programs to read the Bible through in a year, lose weight, read new books, finish school, complete the repairs on the house. If those things that you wanted to get done got crossed off your list then you might feel that it was a good year. If you quit things, then you might view the year as a failure. You didn’t do what you wanted to.

How do you measure the success of a year? There are some internal things that are hard to measure. Spiritual strength, walking closer to the Lord, developing the heart of a servant—there are some visible signs, but most of this is internal. A change takes place. This is more than a feeling or an emotion. A person’s thoughts are more spiritual than physical. The eternal fills a bigger place in shaping decisions. A person becomes less concerned about stuff and more concerned about people. You find yourself praying more and deeper and longer. You find yourself referring to God’s word for answers. You see definite lines between right and wrong. You sense the spiritual battle that is going on, especially in the media. Your soul is more refreshed, calmer, trusting and confident. Some success are hard to measure, especially the internal ones.

Our passage today, from Proverbs, illustrates the value of good news from a distant land. There was a time, not all that long ago, when it took weeks to receive news about something. Long before our instant news, 24 hours a day, letters written, received, and answered took weeks. Mothers, whose anxious hearts, longed to know whether their sons were safe in far away battles. They waited and prayed. News came. For some, their hearts swelled with thanksgiving. All was safe. Others, fell to the floor in tears, as the news confirmed their fears, their sons died on the battle field. This Proverb, written in a world before Jesus, makes us think of the coming of Christ. The Gospel, by very definition, means, ‘good news.’ This Gospel was the best news from a distant land, Heaven. This Gospel showed God had reached out to sinful man and was willing to forgive and save. This Gospel was a message of hope. This Gospel was good news.

As we turn the page on this year, throw away our old calendars and open up the new ones, what do you plan to do differently this coming year? What do you plan to do better this coming year? Without a plan, we tend to wander all over the course. Without a goal, we lose drive and motivation. Without specific plans, we do not know if we are on course or off. Congregations need specific goals. Individuals need specific goals.

Plans – physically, financially, family, spiritually. Make them. Modify them. Write them down. Follow them.

Consider a few ideas for plans:

1. Make a list the books that you want to read this year. My goal is three a month—that’s 36 books read in a year. Today, I will map out which books I want to read and in what order. Reading expands the mind and increases learning. Read worthwhile things. Read things that will help you. Many bestsellers are worthless. Be picky. Read quality. It will help you.

2. Pray more. Have a prayer plan. Pray for others. Pray, naming names. Pray often.

3. Read the Bible. Read it carefully. Read it with a pen and paper near by. Find a reading plan and stay with it.

4. Get to services. Don’t miss a single service in a month. Try that. See what that does for you.

5. Start thinking about who in the church you want to invite over to your home. Some do this all the time. For others, it has never been done. Give it a try. Hospitality is a mark of Christianity. Don’t stress about what the house looks like. Clean it up. Invite a couple of families. Cook some food. Share. Laugh. Connect. It will bring your closer to others. Imagine every family in a congregation doing this?

The new year will be the same as all the others unless we make some changes. We must step out. We must push ourselves. Grow stronger and closer to the Lord. You will regret this if you don’t. You’ll benefit if you do.

Good news from a distant land…take advantage of it. Use it. Benefit from it.

Roger