For What He's Worth

Like countless others, I have made a few New Year's resolutions.  For what they're worth, here they are. 

I plan to read my Bible more and memorize more of what I read, like a verse a week.  I'm not starting a Bible reading plan or anything like that, though that's not a bad idea.  It's just that when I set goals like that, I tend to quit the first time I fall off the wagon.  I never catch up and end up feeling defeated rather than encouraged by what I did accomplish. 

I'm also going to work on being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19). (Those of you who see me every day are invited to hold me accountable on this!)  My plan is to count to ten and recite "see as He sees...love as He loves" to myself as many times as necessary to get through each day, an approach that generally works for me. 

Finally, I'm going to write something every day, even if it's just one sentence before bed in the five-year journal that Hunter bought me last year for Christmas, you know, the one that only has about twenty entries in it so far.  God has called me to write, so I need to write whether or not anyone reads the words.  

So, here I sit, much as I did about a week ago, surrounded by holiday decorations, a modest pile of brightly wrapped intentions before me, sacrifices I intend to make, effort I intend to put forth, all of them gifts that I intend to offer.  But to whom, and what are they worth? If I'm not careful, they will all end up right back under my own tree, so to speak, spent for the glorification of myself, the making of a better Angela, and that idea that just doesn't settle well with my spirit. 

A couple of verses come to mind. 

"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain..." Psalm 127:1a

and

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Colossians 3:23

According to Scripture, spinning your wheels on anything behind which God is not the driving force is a monumental waste of time, but hard work performed in accordance with God's will as an act of worship counts for something even if no one around you recognizes your efforts or cheers you on. 

Friends, let's make sure our efforts count for something in 2014.  Let's put our own lists aside and focus only on the things God wants us to focus on.  Let's work faithfully toward that to which He's called us in sincere worship. 

For what He's worth, let's lay our gifts beneath His tree.