Word of the year: INTENTIONALITY!
Martha Olawale
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Although I have nothing against them, I’ve not subscribed to New Year's resolutions since I became a Christian. They place way too much demand on my humanity. In addition, they emphasize things I need to do for myself and less about the God side of the deal: lose weight, get a degree, change my fashion sense, or advance in a career.
Of course, pausing to evaluate the past to assess the future with fewer ambiguities is important, however, I must do so cognizant of God’s purpose for my life. My husband and I always plan for the year and press reset buttons where necessary, but it’s more geared toward growth and God than us. We might have to change a few things here and there, but they must reflect God in us and our lives together. When Christ is the motivation, God is committed to accomplishing them.
Maybe you are one of the people who have succeeded in making yearly resolutions and keeping them, and for that, I applaud you and encourage you to continue. After all, 1 Timothy 4:8 states ‘Bodily exercise profits, little.” However, as you set your resolutions in motion, remember the concluding part of that same verse, which says, “But godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
Watch your steps as you begin this year because it's so easy to be entangled when caught in a web. To avoid getting caught in one, allow God to light your path. Don’t walk around or play with sin because one sin will lead to another, holding you captive. A bug that steps into a spider’s web stares in the face of hopelessness, and every move leads to further entanglement. The best defense is not to get caught up in it to avoid being roped.
As I continue this journey with Christ, my heart continues to beat louder in harmony with the sound of Heaven. A sound that calls me beyond the comfort I’ve created for myself to live for something within a scope I built. The echoes of Heaven usher me on the path that accomplishes God’s will for my world, friends, and the people He sends my way. In that, I find rest in my purpose. It’s becoming less about Martha and more about “As it is in Heaven.”
To be intentionally Christian this year, we’ll approach each day, situation, action, and reaction from Heaven’s view lens, conscious of who we are and the kingdom we represent. God calls us to step out of the sidelines, where ‘self’ rules, and run the race He sets before us (Hebrews 12:1-2). Serve others, encourage the weary, pray for your friends, the Church of Christ, and the lost, and ask God to put you to work for kingdom purposes. The baton of righteousness is in our hands, and we must move at a pace that honors the sacrifices of Christ.
