Last week I watched a YouTube teaching on the Jewish month of Tevet, which began on December 24. This month – much like the secular New Year’s Resolutions – focuses on getting things in order, getting priorities straight, and making decisions to grow in our spiritual maturity. There were many good pieces to her teaching (which you can watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kWfaJ5q5FM if you are interested) and I was going to write a post on it, but then this C.S. Lewis quote came into my email inbox:
“When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side. If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him. And, in fact, He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others—not because He has favourites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, though it has no favourites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one.
“You can put this another way by saying that while in other sciences the instruments you use are things external to yourself (things like microscopes and telescopes), the instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man’s self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred—like the Moon seen through a dirty telescope. That is why horrible nations have horrible religions: they have been looking at God through a dirty lens.“*
So, as we enter into this year, let us work toward putting our lives in order, having our priorities straight, and making decisions to grow in our spiritual maturity. But, let us also work toward keeping our whole selves “clean and bright,” so we will be able to see and hear God clearly.
God,
We thank you for this new calendar year and the opportunities that come with it. Thank you that we are your New Creation Children because you have sought us and revealed yourself to us. Help us to see and hear you completely and clearly in your Word, our prayers, others around us, your Creation, and wherever and whenever you choose to reveal yourself. Help us to do the spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional work so that our priorities are straight, our lives are in your order, we are growing spiritually, and we are keeping ourselves “clean and bright.” Thank you that you have raised us up and seated us with Christ in the heavenlies. Help us to keep your perspective on the things in our lives and our world. Help us to willingly allow you to train and disciple us this year – even when it seems hard and harsh – so that we can yield more Kingdom fruit and have a lifestyle and attitude that conforms to your will and purpose and is pleasing and glorifying to you. We ask this in Jesus’s name, Amen.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7 NIV)
“For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].” (Hebrews 12:11 AMP)
*From Mere Christianity
Compiled in A Year with C.S. Lewis