Putting order into our lives

It occurred to me today as I finished up my daily devotionals that many of us entered this new decade with our lives out of order. Most of us stopped making New Year resolutions because we found ourselves not committed to keeping them but for a short time. Yet, have we moved beyond that point and put together a solid plan for the future? Most of us have not written the plan down on paper so that we can plainly see it, believe in it and then run with it.

All of my communication networks are filled with New Year clinches and sound bits about how great 2010 is going to be. I truly believe we entered into the New Year with a clean slate for our lives. Old things have passed away and a new day is dawning upon us. But, with that new day comes the real work of getting our lives in order. For me that mean's anything that still looks like yesterday’s stuff is packing up and moving out.

Yesterday, I got rid of two old friends that have been hanging around for longer than I could remember. The first was self pity which would allow me on occasion to have a pity party and condemn myself for past mistakes or decisions. Then I dropped kicked the Enabler who no matter what happened in my family or friend’s lives had me raising my hands to fix it. Even when I knew in my heart of heart that it wasn’t for me to handle or get involved I did it anyway. I feel like I lost 50 pounds as I loosed the bondage and weigh of spirits that do not live hear anymore.

Yes, I did enter into the New Year with a solid plan for 2010, the next three years and beyond. Yet, 10 days into it I could see the plan was only working marginally in my favor. Why, you ask? Because I had not rid myself of self defeating patterns that had managed to hang on for the ride. You cannot put new wine in old wineskin…it will burst.

All of us are eligible to exchange out-of-order lives on the altar of God’s Love; we are eligible to receive in exchange His gift of redemption—rightly ordered lives: “He forgives all my iniquities (inherited sin), heals all our diseases and redeems our life from destruction.” (Ps 103:3-4)

The prophesied blessing is Paul’s powerful benediction: “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (New American Standard Version, Ephesians 3:14-21)