Apprentice 2 Jesus

New Year’s Thoughts

Two weeks of traveling has left me behind on some things going on as the New Year unfolds.

An article about “Marketing Jesus” is very thoughtful. Long, but a good read.

I always enjoy Chuck Colson’s columns. He writes one on how relativism has brought us to our current point in the economic crisis.

Or, if you don’t want to blame relativism for the current decay, you can always go the fallback position of blaming Republicans. Paul Krugman really lays it on thick with the “racist” attitudes of the Republican Party. So, you can always find SOMEONE to blame for the current mess. Here is the key, though: don’t blame yourself! It’s bad for the self esteem!

As the New Year rolls in, I do have some thoughts for my own formation:

1. I just plain need to work harder on my health. I can’t afford a club, so it’s up to me to eat less and move more.

2. My hunger for the Word of God is increasing again, and I am so thankful. I sat on a plane New Year’s Day and devoured Romans 15 for an hour. I am falling in love with this letter from Paul. This is so obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: the man was a genius!

3. My prayer walk must intensify. I want to blast away in prayer. Eugene Peterson is mentoring me through some of his writing. His take on prayer is powerful. Prayer is engaging the Lord who moves mountains. When we pray we need to know we are taking up with the power of the universe. Mountains shake and move. Waters part. Nature obeys! PRAY!

I do say, “good riddance” to 2008. What a roller coaster of a year! Thank the Lord it’s over and we have a fresh year in front of us!