The "Plan"

This Sunday, our pastor talked about the importance of being intentional with our relationship with God.  What is the need for being intentional with God, you ask?  Wouldn't He just make Himself known if He wanted to?  Yes, He would, and yes, He does--God primarily speaks to us through His Word, the Bible.  If He's speaking to us, and we're not listening, then there are a lot of growth opportunities in character and wisdom that we are missing simply by not reading our Bible. 

Though it's easy to think we're going to get up early and start the day with reading the Bible, that usually only lasts a few days or weeks before we forget one day, are late to work the next day, and before you know it, we forget we were trying to get up early.  Thus the need for a plan!

I decided to read the Bible in a year because last year, I was supposed to do that and only got through Genesis and part of Exodus before I forgot to keep doing it.  So a few days ago, I downloaded the free Bible app (YouVersion) because:

1) It has free Bible reading plans, as well as many other free devotionals
2) You can set a reminder on it to buzz at the same time every day to read it
3) It has different sections from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and the New Testament to read each day so you don't get bogged down trying to read huge chunks at a time
4) You can highlight sections, write notes or questions in it, and connect your thoughts with friends through easy link-ups to email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.    
5) It puts the entire Bible on your phone
6) You can look sections up by book or word
7) Did I mention it's free for anyone with a smartphone??

So if you have a smartphone, definitely get the Bible app!  It is well worth the three thumb taps it takes to get it.  If you don't have a smartphone, then depending on what plan you want to follow, there are plenty of devotionals and Bible in a Year books out there to buy.  Bottom line--don't forget to make a plan now so you don't forget about it later!  Happy reading! 

**Disclaimer--no plan works for everyone.  Don't try to just consume large sections of the Bible or theological books or anything really just to get it done--the whole point is to read it, understand it, and take it to heart.  

Christmas After the Holidays

On our flight from DC to Atlanta, I looked out the window and saw miles of clouds below us, rushing by like waves on the sea.  On the horizon, a bright red throb of sun leaked onto the edge of the earth, spilling pink and orange out onto its sides.  Cities throb with energy like hearts, snaking their long veins and arteries of roads and highways in every direction.  Seeing the world from this aerial viewpoint makes the sacrifice of the cross even more amazing in my mind.  The creation of the Lord is evident here, and for a moment I see time stretched out, with our culture and lives as mere flecks on the timeline.  I see God's faithfulness to us century after century, never a promise broken.  I see new life and possibilities and all the people in the world who need Jesus, and all the ways that we can serve Him. 

But soon we land and shuffle out in the line with everyone else and eventually we're driving home, past the same used car lot and Wendy's as always, into the same apartment complex and the fact that there is always one roach in our same small kitchen when we've been gone for a few days.  And I remember that even after the Christmas and New Year excitement has ended, Christmas still matters.  God still sent his only Son as a little baby to save all of us running around serving ourselves on this earth He created, and we still need to keep a large world view of our small world issues.  Roaches and small kitchens don't matter when I can still serve the Lord in this place.  And even though our lives are just an unnoticeable blip on the world's timeline, we still matter eternally to God, which is the only thing that matters. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  "
John 3:16-17