Compiled by Barbour Staff - Beautiful Wisdom Daily Devotions: 365 Encouraging Readings for New Life

2018 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-63609-125-9

Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-63609-401-4

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Devotions previously appeared in Whispers of Wisdom for Young Women, Daily Wisdom for Women 2015 Devotional Collection, and Daily Whispers of Wisdom for Busy Women, all published by Barbour Publishing.

Scripture quotations are taken from the New Life Version copyright 1969 and 2003. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio, 44683. All rights reserved.

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No, Christian brothers, I do not have that life yet. But I do one thing. I forget everything that is behind me and look forward to that which is ahead of me. My eyes are on the crown. I want to win the race and get the crown of Gods call from heaven through Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

The start of a new year is filled with anticipation of what is ahead---a sense of getting to start over, make a fresh start---and with relief that some things are best left behind. Some make resolutions only to break them within a few days or hours. Some set goals both realistic and unrealistic. Many stay up New Years Eve in order to welcome in the New Year; others value their sleep more and really couldnt care less.

Luke records a story in his Gospel illustrating our need to resolve to do only one thing. Jesus and His disciples came to Bethany and were invited to stay with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. When Martha came to Jesus, complaining that her sister Mary wasnt helping her, Jesus spoke to her in loving concern: Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:42).

Maintaining a close relationship with the Savior is the only goal Paul would set. He wasnt perfect at it, but he single-mindedly pursued it. And he encourages us to do so today. Life is much simpler when we choose to pursue only one thing---the race before us. Dont look back.

Heavenly Father, keep our eyes on the goal, forgetting the successes and failures of this past year.

Let us put every thing out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us. Let us keep looking to Jesus.

HEBREWS 12:1-2

Running was the first and, for many years, the only event of the ancient Olympic games. So it is no wonder that the New Testament writers use the metaphor to describe the Christian life. The first races were 200-yard sprints. These gradually increased in length as the Olympic games continued to develop. The modern marathon commemorates the legendary run made by a Greek soldier named Pheidippides, who ran from the battlefield outside Marathon, Greece, to Athens to proclaim a single word: victory! Then he collapsed and died.

The Christian race lasts a lifetime, with Christ Jesus as our goal, the prize that awaits us at the finish line in heaven. It cant be run all-out as a sprint or no one would last the course. Though there was one race in the ancient games where the runners wore full armor, most of the time the ancient runners ran naked, stripping away anything that would slow them down. Obviously, the writer of Hebrews was familiar with the ancient sport of running when he advised believers to run with endurance the race God set before them.

Father, as we run the race You set before us this year, let us run with endurance, not allowing anything to distract us from the goal of Christ-likeness.

Teach us to understand how many days we have. Then we will have a heart of wisdom to give You.

PSALM 90:12

A pastor tried to illustrate the brevity of life to his congregation: Think of a straight line stretching into infinity on either end. Anywhere on the line, place a dot smaller than a pinprick. That is your life, your threescore and ten years Moses spoke of.

James 4:14 describes our life as like fog. You see it and soon it is gone. In reality, given our finite minds trying to wrap around an infinite concept, these examples dont really come close to describing the brevity of life. But in spite of that, God does have a purpose for each one of us, a purpose He designed uniquely for each individual.

As a new year stretches ahead, many tend to procrastinate, thinking that time stretches into enough time to accomplish their goals and still enjoy life. But Moses likens our lives to grass that springs up fresh in the morning but by evening it dries up and dies (Psalm 90:5-6). What seems a long time to us is really very little in the eyes of an eternal God. No wonder Moses prayer was for wisdom to live a fulfilling and purposeful life in the brief time allotted to mankind. We would be wise to make this a daily prayer as we walk forward.

Father, teach us to number our days, to live each day with purpose and wisdom as You lead us to fulfill Your purposes through us.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and will put their trust in the Lord.

PSALM 40:3

For many, the New Year is a good time to reflect on the events of the past year, to review what God has done, to praise Him for deliverance and safety, and to thank Him for His provision---both individually and corporately. Some of the social networks online have software that will look at the posts and pictures an individual has made and put together a year in review, hitting the highlights and major events. But those reviews dont always pick up on the praise and thanksgiving to God that should result from such an accounting.

Take a moment to reflect on all that God has done in the previous months. Then proclaim the works of the Lord; be amazed at His outpouring of love, grace, and mercy. Break out in song, spontaneous and free. Praise God in hymns, praise songs, and scripture songs. Even those who cant carry a tune in a bucket, as the saying goes, can praise God with a joyful noise. If Gods people dont proclaim the glorious works of their God, how can they expect the world to ever have a right view of Him? Sing a new song of praise to God for His many and varied works, and renew your trust in Him for the new year ahead.