By the time you’ve read the title the adventure is about over. 😂 I have always worked better, especially when it comes to my personal discipleship, by creating seasons, short bursts of intentionality that help me focus, keep me energized, and give me attainable goals. I also have always tried to step up my game at the end of the year and finish with a flourish. Then, while I’m at it, use the momentum from the good finish to hit the new year at a dead run and see if I can’t start really well. Hence, the long-named, fairly loose invitation to join me on a 50 Day…..well, I’m not going in to all of that again.
Heres the plan. We will start easy, Bible reading and prayer, adding a couple of things along the way, picking up speed until we are moving very well toward the goal of making 2025 a year of spiritual growth and deepening discipleship. Sound good?
Yesterday was Day 1, the first day of Advent and an appropriate time to begin a new chapter. The first candle of the Advent Candle that you probably lit at church yesterday was the candle of Hope. We anticipate the coming Christ Child who is the Savior of the World. “For unto us a child is given, unto us a Son is born: and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 Just like that verse, our hope is recorded in the Bible so we begin an adventure there.
1. Start right now, a plan to read through the Bible in one year. I use, and highly recommend, the Daily Audio Bible app with Brian Hardin. Download it now, it’s free, and begin today reading Daniel 9:1-11:1, I John 2:18-3:6, Psalm 121, and Proverbs 28:27 and 28. That’s about 20 minutes of reading (or listening as you drive to work.)
2. Make prayer a priority. Over the next few weeks we are going to build a prayer wall, a strong bastion that we can hunker behind (that is a very sophisticated theological term, hunker) when the storms start to blow. And let me assure you, if you do this adventure, they will blow. For today, killing two birds with one Psalm, work on the brick of Adoration for your prayer wall. Use Psalm 121 (remember the DAB from above?) and pray it as a prayer of adoration to God. “I look to the mountains for my help, but my help comes from You, Lord. You made the heavens and the earth. You will not let me stumble. You watch over me day and night…” Get it?
3. Last thing for today, go to Branchesblog.com and sign up. No, I won’t send you a set of steak knives in the mail. But it is where I will post each day a BRIEF thought about our adventure and encourage you to keep it going. I’ll post it on Facebook as well but that’s a little less dependable. Branchesblog will send it to you. And while you’re at it, leave a quick comment each day to help other people know they are not in this alone. (Okay, I’ll be honest, to help me know I am not in this alone.)
Hope. It’s that season. I hope to see you tomorrow. I hope this is beneficial. I hope you grow and deepen your faith. And I hope the God of all Grace blesses you mightily as you decide to make a concerted effort to finish well and start fast.
Mike
I’m all in Mike. A few years back a pastoral counselor suggested that I begin a journal. I recently opened up my first volume and the very first entry says, “Finish well.”
I love it. Thanks for sharing that.