Happy New Year

I want to wish everyone a very happy New Year and blessings for 2009. Nancy and I just got back from spending time with a group of special people celebrating this day. The food was excellent, the games fun, but most of all the company was outstanding. I enjoy greatly time spent laughing and enjoying the day with people that we have come to know and to care for.
Nancy and I did not watch the ball come down in NYC. Though I was awakened by the fireworks that started early. Those times of staying up late seem to be passing me by. I did manage to sleep in some this morning before we headed off. I have a group of men from the church that I meet with and we enjoy getting together and sharing with one another. They and the people in the Monday night bible study tend to help me stay the course and to continue to be accountable. From them and my pastor covenant group, I find a source of support for my continued spiritual growth. One of the reasons that I believe so strongly in small groups. It is with a close group one can become more intimate and be more spiritually mature. It is out of that I have committed to writing here daily sharing the bible verse of the day.

Today the bible verse comes from John 1:14-15 "And the Word became flesh and lived among us...John testified to him and cried out, 'This was he of whom I said, He comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'"

What struck me about this particular passage was John stated that Jesus, who is the Word become flesh, ranks ahead of himself. John was aware that his purpose was to testify about the coming of God's Kingdom into this world. He was aware that he was not the bringer of that kingdom but just the messenger. Today we are the messengers of that kingdom but are not the ones who bring it about. Only God can bring about His kingdom.
Yet, I don't know about you but there are times that I hear about people who might believe that it is what they do that influences the kingdom not what Jesus did. An example is that when I am around other pastors, I hear them speak of the great things that they have done in growing their particular churches. For some of the pastors, I know well enough that I realize they don't mean to take the credit. Though there are others who I wonder about. Sometimes I get the feeling that they feel that it is their work and theirs alone that makes things happen. Maybe one of the reasons that I am sensitive to this is that I can also get caught up in the idea that what happens is the result of my efforts and not give credit to God. I believe that when growth happens, when the kingdom can be glimpsed, is when God blesses the work that we are doing. The adage that there is a God and I am not Him. At best I can be like John the Baptist and proclaim that there is one greater than myself or greater that anyone else that I testify to.
In your life, remember that you and I are the messengers. To what are we testifying? Is it about myself and my opinions or is it about the Kingdom of God? Rick Warren as well as others states that it is not about me or about you, it is about God and Jesus. This new year let it be a time that we can lift up God in ourselves, our families, our church, and our communities. Knowing that the light of God surrounds us.