Love Abounding
Minister’s Letter - 4 January 2023
Friends in Christ, my social media is filled with articles about New Year's resolutions and Bible reading plans. And with its often slower pace, January can be a good time for reflection and maybe even some goal setting. So let me add my 2 cents' worth!
Firstly, we must always start with motive and attitude before our plans and tactics for trying harder. For me this flows from a prayer I have long prayed for the people of the churches I have served. It's from Paul's Letter to the Philipians:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God. [Phil 1:9-11, NIVUK]
Notice how it connects the overflowing of love with your knowledge of God! And it states that our righteousness (and any fruit flowing from it) only comes through Jesus Christ.
How precious it is to "know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings" (Phil 3:10).
How precious to be able to forget what's behind (because it is forgiven by Jesus' sacrifice) and to "press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14).
Surely that's our motivation for things like New Year's Resolutions, especially in regard to growth in character, or in habits of Bible reading.
I always remember being shocked at the end of my schooling, because I realised a friend, who had been converted less than a year, seemed to be outstripping me, who had gone to church and trusted Christ as long as I could remember. I asked him what his secret was. His answer:
"I believe I can grow closer to God each day, and so I am planning my life accordingly."
I thought that was a good motivation. He wasn't trying to impress anyone. He just wanted to know Jesus more. And so he went home and went to bed at a sensible time, even when his other teenage friends did not.
For me, the most important step in improving my Bible reading habits was not finding just the right "Bible-in-a-year" plan for me, or some other daily devotional material. It was simply reaslising that if I could get up early3 times a week to go running, then why could I not get up early 7 days a week to read the Bible and pray at the same time each day. (I still go running three days a week after Bible and prayer, and walk the dog on other days.)
I admit it is easier with kids grown up. But the habit began when the kids were still younger and all at home.
Here's a link to a smorgasbord of reliable Bible reading plans. But the best plan is just to start, picking easier books first, and to tick off your progress and eventually get all your way through, no matter how long it takes. (So from the link, if you are a beginner, try the 5 x 5 x 5 New Testament plan - for 1 year - or the "Every Word in the Bible" plan - over 3 years.
Just today I read a compelling image: Reading the Bible is like compounding interest!
Wealth doesn't build all at once, and often comes more rapidly the longer you invest, bit by bit. And deep Bible knowledge doesn't come all at once, but the longer you go, the more it deepens! Here were the author's five reasons to start investing in personal Bible reading, and the sooner the better.
1. Your brain will get better at reading.
2. Connecting dots is thrilling.
3. Your knowledge base will expand.
4. Reading is an acquired skill.
5. Scripture is the living and active Word of God.
What about the character and personal growth side of New Year's Resolutions. Here are three simple questions suggested by Justin Buzzard, which you could ask yourself:
1. What Do I Want to Stop Doing?
What’s the #1 thing you did this year (or that you’ve been doing your entire life) that you want to stop doing (and that the Lord wants you to stop doing)?
2. What Do I Want to Start Doing?
What’s the #1 thing you want to start doing this year? Notice I say “want” not “should.” Desire runs deeper than shoulds, these questions aim for your desires.
3. What Do I Want to Keep Doing?
What’s the thing you did this past year that proved most Life-giving, fruitful, healthy, beneficial?
Of course, Buzzard is assuming biblical Christian faith. And in each case, Buzzard says a little more, but the whole exercise can be done in 15 minutes, and requires no complex goal-setting techniques.
But perhaps discuss your answers with a Christian family member or friend (in fact, you could probably discuss them with any trusted friend or family member)...
And remember, your motivation is to grow in love and knowledge of Christ.
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney
P.S. As those who were here last Sunday know, 1 January marked the 250th anniversary of John Newton's most famous hymn, Amazing Grace. Here's the link to the article we shared to mark the occasion on our Facebook page. It gives you a little bit of the back story for the hymn and for Newton himself.