End-of-the-Year Clearance
Dave Faust
During this time of year newspapers are filled with ads about "after-Christmas specials" and end-of-the-year clearance sales—so the same item you rushed out and bought for $50 last week now costs $30, which may have been its original price in the first place.
Unfortunately, after the holidays many folks find their homes are cluttered with new items they don't need, and the only things "cleared out" are their wallets. Holiday overindulgence makes many Americans brace themselves to receive two more customs in January: "Credit Card Bill Day" and "New Diet Day."
Stores need to clear old merchandise out of their storerooms to make room for the new. But an end-of-the-year clearance isn't a bad idea for Christians, either. Do you have some things stored away in your heart that need to be cleared up before the new year begins?
Maybe you need to clear up your debts—not just financial obligations but spiritual debts owed to God and others. Is it time to seek God's forgiveness for a stubborn "sin that so easily entangles" (Hebrews 12:1)? Is it time to reconcile with another person by giving or accepting forgiveness once and for all?
Maybe it's time to clear up some doubts. Hard questions can challenge our faith: "Is the Bible true? Why do people suffer? How can I be sure about life after death? What should I do with my life?" The Lord extends a positive invitation to believers: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." A caution follows, though: "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind" (James 1:5, 6). God can help you face your questions head-on. Pray for wisdom. Study the Word. Listen to good teaching. Seek guidance from mature Christians. Determine to make the new year a season of spiritual growth.
Perhaps it's time, as well, to clear up your dreams. What are your goals and aspirations? Are they clear, godly, and faith-filled? Have you lost the joy of your salvation and the exciting awareness that as a Christian you're part of the greatest work on earth? Has church life become little more than attending services and keeping the doors open? Or do you dream of finding new ways to serve and following the Lord through open doors? Do you face the new year with eagerness as you plan new adventures of faith?
The apostle Paul asked his Christian friends to pray "that God may open a door for our message," and he said to "make the most of every opportunity" (Colossians 4:3, 5). Each day means another open door for serving Christ. Let's clear away the spiritual clutter and make the most of our opportunities in the new year.
This column first appeared in The Lookout on Dec 28, 1997.
Ecclesiastes Elementary Cchool
Do you remember your first day of school? In late summer, 1960, my heart pounded as I trudged toward the imposing yellow brick fortress known as Salem Elementary School. The yellow bricks cried out "Caution" to my young mind. So did the two yellow busses with red flashing lights parked near the school's front door. As dozens of excited kids spilled from the busses onto the sidewalk, the air was heavy with exhaust fumes and the sound of nervous chatter.
Enlarge My Territory!
Did you ever hear of a man named Jabez? His brief biography appears in an unexpected place, tucked away in the middle of nine chapters of Old Testament genealogies; but this noble man stands out like an oasis in a desert. First Chronicles 4:9 simply notes, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers."