Pastor’s Thoughts

          January marks the beginning of a twelve month cycle which we call a year. This time frame is not often considered as a whole. The only exception, the coming of a new year, then we reflect on the ending of one cycle while making a resolve to better ourselves in some way as we move toward the next.

We think little of passing minutes, hours, and days for they are only counted in measures of seconds, minutes and hours. These measures of time fit neatly within the face of our wrist watch and seem so small that if neglected or wasted are a meaningless loss. However consider the Biblical life time expectancy when it comes to years of life “three score and ten,” then number the months in which one has to take advantage.

          For me fifty nine Januarys have passed leaving but 11 more or less for me to enjoy. That is less than a year’s worth of time. I don’t wish to sound morbid or intend to make this sound like a countdown to doom. Actually my thoughts take me to a much higher goal, why not take advantage of every January I have left, writher it be seven more or seventy.

January may be cold, the sun rises late and goes down early, snow will most likely come and go, and in the past, before I started going south on a missions trip in January, I had the tendency to want to mimic a black bear, you know find a den to hibernate in until spring. Why should we do that? Is it not better to ask God what you can accomplish for Him this month? Is there a treasure that I can lay up in heaven that will never lose its value? Maybe I can develop or renew some friendships, help someone through a difficult time, or if need be endure some hardship in which God can strengthen my faith.

We never know what a new day will bring let alone a whole month of days. But this I do know, whatever life brings gives opportunity to please God. If within this January 2017, I can do that one thing, PLEASE GOD, I personally believe it will have been a great month of life. Then I’ll move on to the shortest month, February and try not to rush toward March.  So for this month I guess my thoughts are simple, TIME IS PRECIOUS DON’T WASTE IT!