Have you filled out your new 2021 calendars yet with all the dates that you know are important to be remembered this year? Many of us will take the old calendar in hand and transfer over birthdays, anniversaries and other special days that are important to us to the new calendar. You may have already made some appointments with doctors and dentists and others that need to be marked down. Plans for different meetings or
normal family get-togethers, if allowed, throughout the year also need to be penned in lest we double book something.
When we get all of this planning ahead stuff written down in our calendars it can make the year start to look a lot smaller. It may even cause us to start thinking ahead about some of those planned events and worrying about whether we will be ready for them in whatever way we need to plan. All of this can add anxiety to our lives; even though planning ahead can be prudent and give us a sense of peace knowing that we will not forget important events in the new year - we hope!
Planning is one thing. Worrying about what tomorrow or next month will bring is another. In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us to focus on what is most important in our lives, a relationship with our heavenly Father. Jesus says the Father knows all of your needs. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Portals of Prayer, a daily devotional booklet, produced by our Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, is provided free to all of our members, to help you have a daily time of prayer and reflection on a portion of God’s word, in order to find comfort and strength and encouragement for the daily journey through life as a child of God.
In your planning for this New Year, daily setting a little time aside with your God with such a help as Portals of Prayer or another devotional will make this year an especially faith filled year for you and help you in your faith walk with your Lord.
While you make plans for this New Year, with a new slate of 365 days to fill up, take heed of God’s advice. Each day has enough in it to fill up our attention. By God’s grace we will live through this new day and see another tomorrow. As we receive each day as a gift of grace let us remember to keep God first in it, and humbly enjoy whatever comes, in the knowledge that we live always by God’s grace in Christ our Lord and with His presence in
our lives. God bless you with health and happiness in 2021 and a closer walk with your Saviour, Jesus.
~ Pastor Roger Ellis
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