2016 as a whole had some pretty exciting moments, but my New Years Eve was pretty tame. I spent most of the evening trying to stay awake while praying that the fireworks going off outside would not wake up my sleep-regressing 9 month old.Now that I have made it to midnight, and am sitting here frustrated that the Harry Potter marathon ended at movie number 6 instead of showing the last two movies in the series, I thought I’d share a couple of things that I am hoping for in 2017.
- That we would focus on the things that matter, and let go of the things that don’t. Maybe this looks a little different for each of us as individuals, but I would guess that we all spend too much time doing, thinking about, and worrying about things that have no value. Lets put our phones down and learn to love more, think about ourselves less, and fight for the things that make the world better for all of us.
- That the newly elected President of the United States would represent us well. It’s no secret that President Elect Trump has said some pretty terrible things about people who disagree with him and about those who are different than him. It will be my prayer that his presidency would somehow become known for how well he looked out for our country as well as those who are oppressed around the world. I will be praying that he puts the hateful rhetoric behind him and comes to realize that each person is valuable no matter who they are or where they come from.
- That we would learn to show grace always. Before we rip someone else a new one or hop up on our social media soapboxes, can we do better at remembering that part of being human means that none of us are perfect? If we could learn to come alongside people and love on them through their shortcomings, instead of beating them over the head with them, then this world might look a lot different.
In truth, I am hoping for much more in 2017 than just these 3 things, including that I would win the lottery (I promise I’ll share), but these are the things fresh on my mind in the wee hours of this first day of the year. I hope 2017 is good to you and yours and that we can represent Jesus well through it all. Happy New Year!
Welcome back, buddy. We’ve missed you!
I think the point about being hopeful for our leaders is a good one. I’ve had to remind myself many times over the last 8 years of Romans 13. No matter how bad a leader seems to be or how misaligned his policies, speech or actions are with the will of the people that he or she governs, that whoever “resists authorities resists what God has appointed” (Rom 8:2).
What strikes me most about the last few months is just how ugly people are being to one another. People put their faith in presidential candidates and lash out when anyone questions them. Sadly, they miss the point that we should ultimately be putting our faith in God’s plan for us. His is the only platform that leads to salvation for His people. He is the only king that is truly perfect.