Daily Scripture: Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,[Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17, 66:22] for the old heaven and the old earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer there. 2 Also I saw the holy city, New Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “See! God’s Sh’khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God.[Revelation 21:3 Leviticus 26:11–12; Isaiah 7:14; 8:8, 10; Jeremiah 31:33(34); Ezekiel 37:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18] 4 He will wipe away Reflection Questions:
We value the fresh start(s) each New Year brings. But even as we celebrate the New Year, we are aware that each human year brings some disappointments and pain, too. But we can remember that the Bible’s grand story ends in Paradise restored. Images drawn from the prophet Isaiah (especially chapters 28 and 65) pictured the world as God meant it to be, with no pain, suffering or death. There, “the one seated on the throne” made a better promise: “Look! I’m making all things new,” truly new.
- The ancient world relied on city walls and strong gates to shut out danger. In that world, Revelation said an amazing thing about God’s eternal city: “On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there” (Revelation 21:25). As 2016 begins, many of us have to deal with strong feelings of fear about events in our world. What “walls and gates” are we counting on which may sometimes fail? What worries can your faith in God’s eternal city soothe? How does Christ’s presence today calm your fears?
Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of life, for the chance to start this year as your child. And I thank you for the assurance you offer me of an eternity with you, in a world where we never have to shut the gates to lock out danger. Amen.
Family Activity:
Read John 14:27[John 14:27 “What I am leaving with you is shalom — I am giving you my shalom. I don’t give the way the world gives. Don’t let yourselves be upset or frightened.]. Jesus was a person of peace and desired for His followers to also be people of peace. Choose to spend some quiet time together with your family. Maybe you want to take a brief walk. You might each want to spend some time reading. Maybe you prefer listening to music. Encourage everyone to ask God to calm their hearts and to fill them with peace during their quiet time. Also ask each person to find a word or an item during the quiet time that will help him or her carry that peace every day. Share your experiences as a family and pray God’s peace for one another and for the world. Move towards beginning each day of the New Year asking God to help you be a person of peace.
---------------------Insights from Mary Jones
Mary Jones is an eleven-year member of the Resurrection family, and served on staff for nine. Her greatest joy is serving with My Father’s House – Resurrection Furnishings Ministry alongside her husband Kevin and the many people there who are dedicated to building God’s Kingdom in Kansas City.Packing away the Christmas decorations is a mixed bag experience. Sad to see them go, but so refreshing to un-clutter! It signals a fresh start on a new year full of opportunity, a time to make all things new! Uh oh, this is when your friends start talking about their New Year’s resolutions and wanting to hear yours.
To help us get perspective on that, let’s consider today’s Scripture. It focuses on God’s eternal promise. We train our eye on that promise as we traverse the challenges put in our path. 2015 certainly offered many challenges for our country, and I suppose everyone reading this experienced some challenge in your personal life as well. The accompanying GPS helps us connect the scripture’s story to the ‘walls and gates’ in our lives that we count on to keep us safe and prepared as we lean into God’s eternal promise and hope. Those ‘walls’ might include faith, loved ones, health, and country just to name a few.
I certainly can’t argue with the idea of identifying and improving on some aspect of our lives. My problem is, if I label some action step for 2016 with a New Years Resolution tag, it’s pretty well doomed for failure. However, if I take on an action step with a short term goal, my success rate goes up, I am encouraged, and then I can build on those little successes. Kind of a baby step approach. I won’t commit to reading the Bible every day this year. Wouldn’t that be awesome! But, I can commit to following the GPS every day this week. After doing that, and finding how refreshing it is for my spirit, I bet I’d read it every day next week too.
I won’t say I’ll serve every week of 2016 making a difference for those in need in Kansas City, but I can say that I will this week and see where it takes me. I can’t promise that I’ll be a better parent, friend, small group member or daughter every day this year. But I can do some simple things in the next few weeks that will help me grow in that area. I guess what we’re talking about here is making a commitment. Goals are good. They get us closer to who we want to be. A good goal to focus on in 2016 would be to build up the strength of the foundation of those ‘walls’ we talked about. Choose a few short-term “I can do that!” goals. No ‘New Year’ resolutions please!
May you enjoy a 2016 full of His blessings in your life!
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
To help us get perspective on that, let’s consider today’s Scripture. It focuses on God’s eternal promise. We train our eye on that promise as we traverse the challenges put in our path. 2015 certainly offered many challenges for our country, and I suppose everyone reading this experienced some challenge in your personal life as well. The accompanying GPS helps us connect the scripture’s story to the ‘walls and gates’ in our lives that we count on to keep us safe and prepared as we lean into God’s eternal promise and hope. Those ‘walls’ might include faith, loved ones, health, and country just to name a few.
I certainly can’t argue with the idea of identifying and improving on some aspect of our lives. My problem is, if I label some action step for 2016 with a New Years Resolution tag, it’s pretty well doomed for failure. However, if I take on an action step with a short term goal, my success rate goes up, I am encouraged, and then I can build on those little successes. Kind of a baby step approach. I won’t commit to reading the Bible every day this year. Wouldn’t that be awesome! But, I can commit to following the GPS every day this week. After doing that, and finding how refreshing it is for my spirit, I bet I’d read it every day next week too.
I won’t say I’ll serve every week of 2016 making a difference for those in need in Kansas City, but I can say that I will this week and see where it takes me. I can’t promise that I’ll be a better parent, friend, small group member or daughter every day this year. But I can do some simple things in the next few weeks that will help me grow in that area. I guess what we’re talking about here is making a commitment. Goals are good. They get us closer to who we want to be. A good goal to focus on in 2016 would be to build up the strength of the foundation of those ‘walls’ we talked about. Choose a few short-term “I can do that!” goals. No ‘New Year’ resolutions please!
May you enjoy a 2016 full of His blessings in your life!
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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