Slim and fit when Jesus comes back
A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. Matthew 24:46 NIV
A survey done in one Western nation some time ago concluded that three things were on top of people’s wish lists for the coming year. The respondents wanted to exercise more, lose weight, and eat healthier. The survey did not distinguish between Christians and others. Most l ikely the goals were not very different for those who want to follow Jesus.
Christians from other parts of the world often mention that people in the West are most concerned with the things that belong to this life. The focus on eternity and God's kingdom is correspondingly less. There is nothing wrong in doing sports and taking care of our bodies. Still, it is important to get our priorities right. Many things are more crucial than being healthy, slim and in good shape when Jesus comes back.
The same morning as I read about the survey, I received an email from a leader for Tent’s work in Liberia. «This month we will do 21 days of fasting and prayer. We do this at the beginning of each year to seek God's grace and mercy,» he wrote, bringing in a totally different perspective.
Perhaps you are among those who, at the start of a new year, have clear goals for life and work and enough strength to implement them. Or maybe you are someone who knows what you want, but struggles to make it happen. In any case, I would like to challenge you to go through the desires and the goals you may have set for this new year, and ask the following questions:
1. How many of the goals is it really important to achieve before Jesus comes back? What input do you think Jesus would give to your goals?
2. How many of your goals relate to God and His kingdom? The Bible says that we must seek God's kingdom first, then he will give us everything else in addition (Matthew 6,33).
3. How many of your goals are about sharing the life you have in Jesus with others? Jesus asked us to bring the good news of God's kingdom and his salvation to all people groups (Matthew 28,18-20). How is this implemented in our goals and plans for 2024?
As we enter this new year, there is one thing we can know for sure. We are now closer to the return of Jesus than at any time earlier in history. He asked us to make disciples of all nations. There is still a lot left to do. It is therefore utterly important that moving forward with the gospel becomes a clear and integrated part also of the personal goals we set for ourselves.
Challenge
Work your way through the questions above as you pray for God’s help and guidance.
Pray
Dear Jesus, thank you for this new year that have just started. Help me to live this year fully for you, so that others can get to know you through me.
Steinar Opheim
