New Day

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” 
– John 1:1-5 NIV

It’s a New Day… 
a New Dawn… 
a New Year… 
a New Beginning… 
A time when we can draw a line in the sand and step over… 
The past being the past…
Yesterday being what it was – 
The future what it is… 
And what it will become.

I like the thought of a New Year… 

Kind of like a blank canvas… 
A plain white sheet of paper… 
The opportunity to create before us with a multi-selection of colors… 
of paints…
of brushes… 
of pencils and pens… 
At our disposal… 
At our finger tips… 
A plethora of tools available to be used… 
To create a masterpiece… 
To color our world… 
To make a difference… 

And ultimately to give glory to the Risen Son.... 
By deed… 
By action… 
By word… 
By the life we choose to live as Disciples… 
As Followers of Christ.

And I guess that’s where the true rub lies…

You see, being made in God’s image, we are creators by nature… 
Whether writers, musicians or artists… 
Or architects and engineers… 
Or doctors and surgeons… 
Or bankers and lawyers… 
Or politicians and small business owners…
We are creators - 
Building business… 
Building buildings… 
Creating income… 
And expressing our creation for the use and/or consumption of others.

And we have to choose… 
To decide… 
What we are creating… 
And who we are creating for.

It’s easy for me to take credit for a nice short story I’ve written… 
Or helping a small business owner reach his financial goals and dreams… 
Or helping to bring business principles to a state agency or ministry…
But really, why do I do what I do? 
And why do I do it for who I do it for?
So, I guess, the ultimate question(s) becomes this… 

As I face the blank canvas that is the life that I’ve been given, 
Are the word pictures I write and share… 
Is the business I do… 
Is the reason I do the things I do and say the things that I say in ministry, business or other – an act of worship? 
An act of praise?
An act of obedience toward the One who was there at the beginning… 
At the creation of all things… 
Who created life… 
Who created me?

Is what I do and why I do it in accordance with…. 
for the glory of… 
In conjunction and coordination with… 
the One who gave me the skills, tools and abilities to do what I do?

Am I doing what I’m doing to bring Him glory?
And further His Kingdom… 
To be a light in this Dark World?

Or… 
Once again… 
Is it all about me?

Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
– Matthew 5:14 NIV