Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Soon after I learned to read and write, I began to express my thoughts in writing. As an adult, when I became involved with other writers, I joined the practice of choosing a single word to inspire and guide me for an entire year.
In 2024, my word was “prefer”. I chose to recognize and honor God and the people closest to me. Inspired by Romans 12:10, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” NKJV. I hope that has provided a strong foundation for reaching out to others as well.
For the past several months, God has been impressing upon me that I must totally yield my will to Him. I have pondered the difference between sacrifice and surrender. The Old Testament contains so many illustrations of sacrifices meant to signify obedience to God.
Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. No need to continue the complicated practices of old. God sent his Son as the once and for all sacrifice as atonement for sin. Following His death and resurrection, we are forgiven. To ensure our place in heaven, we need only believe and show our acceptance through baptism.
This year, my husband and I have recognized the humanity of Jesus while “binge watching” the series “The Chosen”. While contemplating my word for the coming year, I realized that Jesus had to do more than sacrifice. As a m0rtal human being, He had to completely surrender to God’s will. He was the perfect culmination of everything that came before. He taught us to pray “Thy will be done.” He ultimately yielded to His Father in the Garden of Gethsamane. “Oh My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Matthew 26:42 NKJV
My guiding word for 2025: Surrender. To honor God, to be closer than ever to my Savior, I will surrender my will to Him. Each decision, each reaction will be filtered through surrender to God’s plan. On the first day of January, I don’t have a clear picture of what will be involved. His will takes precedence over mine in every case. I plan more posts guided by my surrender to Him. I would be honored if you join me in my journey. What word will guide you this year? I would love to hear from you in the comments.
May your day and your year be blessed, and full of God’s love.
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