Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Alpha omega Wednesday, December 31, 2014 John 1:1-16 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory ... From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace. Photos and journals and memories let me review the year. It's nearly over. We know this is the last hour. To be followed at midnight by the first hour. Ten-nine-eight-seven-six. Five-four-three-two-one. Happy New Year! Kiss your sweetheart and lift your glass. Listen for the bells and ring in the new. Life begins again. In 2015 I want to include God in the conversation of my life more often. When I spend a few moments reflecting at the end of the day, I'd like to think about how I've done that. Ask God if I included him. See what he has to say. Conversation is probably within myself, between me and ... me. But I want to include God in conversation with others, too. Not talking about him. Talking to him. In Life Together Dietrich Bonhoeffer encourages us to relate to others only through Jesus. Relationships directly between people inevitably result in psychological tangles of superiority and inferiority, of submission and control. That is much less likely when we go through Jesus on the way to each other. What I have to say to myself, I also say to God. What I want to say to you, I say to God first and see what happens then. This is not a habit I've developed. But it's worth its weight in gold. From the day I've been born, God has made himself known. In spite of this I've made my own way far more than not. As my friend says, I try "to control my life, my destiny, my salvation, and my God." And in doing so, I turn what was light into darkness. In 2015 I want to change that. God's light dawns day after day after day. And we close our eyes only because of your brilliance, Lord, and call ourselves blind. We are not blind, only unseeing. We are not dead, only sleeping. In these last moments of the old year, give us new life. Wake us up. Always you are the bringer of new life. "; Add      Edit    Delete