Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
It’s January. And it’s a brand new year. I’ve been here before. Sort of. Same life, different year. Did I accomplish what I said I would finish last year? Or am I going to promise to finally get it completed… again? Am I all intentions, but no actions?
We all remember the quote, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
It is in this journey from thoughts-to-destiny that our enemy wants to distract us and derail us from our best life. He tries to fill us with false intentions, mindless entertainment, vain thoughts and destructive habits. It’s all very subtle.
Consider this simple scenario:
We want to do well in work and life. We know that a good night’s rest makes a big difference, not just in our output at work but even our outlook in life, our mood and our attitude to others. Guess what? The enemy will target your precious rest because he doesn’t want you to succeed in work or in life. He knows you become edgy and ill-tempered when you’re tired. When you’re ill-tempered you’ll be rude, prideful and defensive. Then, at the end of the day, you’ll feel horrible about the people you offended. At that point it’s hard to get a good night’s rest. The enemy has succeeded and the cycle repeats. The attempts at our destruction can be very subtle.
God on the other hand wants us to have a full and overflowing life. In Col1:10 we are encouraged to “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him; bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” He wants us to make choices that honor and please Him, promote peace and fruit in our life, and create atmospheres that increase our joy. Our wise choices puts a stop to the enemy’s strategy.
Not only should we start our day with Christ, we should end it with Him as well. Let’s prepare our hearts to receive from Him when we are asleep. It is very interesting to note that the dialogue between God and King Solomon, wherein God declared he will make Solomon the greatest and wealthiest King in history, occurred in Solomon’s dream! This momentous transaction happened while Solomon’s slept! Don’t discount a good night’s sleep! God will encounter you in wondrous ways.
Colossians 4:5 “Walk in wisdom. Make the best use of time.” You and I are allotted a finite and predetermined number of days. Let’s use it wisely and offer it to God. Let wisdom win.
Pastor Mark Katigbak
