Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 and Matthew 25:31-46.
January 1st is a special day for many people. It represents a chance to start over, newly resolved to live better. If you have not read today’s scripture from Ecclesiastes, I highly recommend doing so today and at the beginning of every new year. It is profoundly relevant to this day, as we each consider which actions it is time for us to take in our lives and which we can set aside.
When you consider the actions it is time for you to take this year…maybe you want to eat more veggies, learn a new language, or just pass all your classes…try a read through of the verses in Matthew 25. At the core of Christianity is a call to consider others in our day-to-day actions.
In our rush to start over, to be better, and to make time for everything, we are often moving so fast that we don’t make time for the things that matter. We are told that the good we do for others is also done for Jesus, but we are often spending so much time just trying to keep our own lives together, we don’t even notice Jesus standing right next to us.
Take a moment to look up at the world around you and just notice things. Try to see things from Christ’s perspective. There’s a time for everything — a time to work and a time to rest. A time to study like crazy and a time to play laser tag. A time to care for others and a time to take care of yourself. Even Jesus, in the midst of his ministry, needed time alone. As your reading of these Advent devotions comes to a close, what is it time for next? Only you know what actions God is calling you to. This is the moment to follow that call.
Olivia Marenco, PCM @ ETSU
Words for Waiting 