The month of December flew by with a blink of an eye! We pour so much into the holidays and it is beautiful, lovely and enriching! We harvest from our efforts precious memories, bonding in our relationships and opportunity to reflect and savor those things that are dear to us.
It must be no mistake that the holidays of November and December, and what they represent in principal such as reflection, memories and tradition, prelude what transpires in January. We spend Thanksgiving and Christmas reflecting on the people around us, the things that we are blessed with, the gift of God's Son, reliving our traditions that are past down to us, doing things that we are generations old and in an instant it is over and we have a week of "coming down" from the saturation of sentimentality. And just when we move into a state of avoidance of the question "what is it all truly about" or "was it really worth it", we find ourselves at the edge of a cliff where we must jump into the unknown...a new year. From impedes of "looking back" to the purity of "looking forward".
And there is something pure about looking forward. It's all new and fresh. No pressure for us, if we truly have no preconceived expectations. I know you are questioning that. I can hear you thinking, "shouldn't we go into a new year with expectation?" Well, I said preconceived. It's the pressure of what is expected of us that stresses us out in November and December. But what is so liberating in January, or should I say midnight on December 31st, is that you can leave the old behind and walk into something that is clean and fresh with none of that. And if you don't hold yourself to a preconceived expectation of the year, there is no stressing, no striving and absolutely no disappointment. I know you aren't totally convinced not to have expectations. So let me go further.
My favorite scripture in Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do exceeding and abundantly above what we ask or think - expect. And that is how God intends us to live our lives. We should not expect what WE expect! We should expect only one thing...the UNEXPECTED!
We should only expect God to bring into our lives things that will blow our minds, things beyond our human comprehension, and that which is better and more extraordinary than we can think about on December 31st at midnight. In essence...prepare for only one thing...prepare to be surprised in 2008!
Recently I had to put on a calendar everything that I would be doing in ministry for 2008. No easy task at anytime, but this year it was particularly difficult for me. Every time I would schedule something I almost felt a question mark on certain things. I could hear the Spirit of God whispering over my back, "that's a great idea, but don't count on it, I might shift that for you." Well, before 2008 has dropped like a ball in Times Square, I have already cancelled half my calendar because the Spirit of God did just that! And all I sense deep within me is that 2008 is a year of surprise and a year of exceeding expectations. This will be a year of the unusual. This will be a year of the things that seemed uncertain becoming certain and the things that were improbable becoming probable and permanent. And if you want to take that as a prophetic word, I would encourage you to do so!
It's great to go into a new year prepared. It's great to have goals and plans and hopes. But this just isn't the year to box yourself in with limited expectations. I can't even put into words what I desire for 2008, or what I hope for. If I did, I may limit myself, my ministry and my future! So I will prepare for one thing only....to be surprised! I suggest you go ahead and do it too!
