A New Year

A new year, 2026, approaches. Achievers eagerly begin plotting the goals they will set and accomplish in the coming year. If they are like me, they may use a format like Luke 2:52 to organize their goals under four headings: spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual. Executors tend to love goal setting because it gives them something tangible to measure and earn satisfaction from. Relators enjoy goals so long as they further or deepen relationships. Influencers find goals helpful for accomplishing an overall vision or agenda. Thinkers tend to be more strategic about what they plan to do, or cautious if the process has not gone well in the past.  And some people in each category (depending on their strengths) may find the whole notion of goal setting a waste of time or effort.

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Meditation
Philippians 3:10-11--My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.
 
Regardless of how we view goals, imagine what 2026 could be like if we simplified our lives to a single primary goal and worked our best to labor toward its fulfillment! As Paul wrote from prison, his letter to the Philippians, this appears to be what he did. As a prisoner, Paul’s life was stripped to what was most basic. He had much time to contemplate, to recognize what in life was important, and to value what gave his life its full meaning—knowing Yeshua. 
            
What if our primary aim in this next year was to know Jesus? 

• To recognize the impact of His resurrection from death on our existence.
• To embrace the cross and whatever suffering He might call us to in serving Him.
• To willingly face death, believing that we, too, will be resurrected.

What would we need to eliminate to identify with Jesus truly? What changes would He want to see in our lives to help us be obedient to His will?
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Peter Marshall and David Manuel observed in The Light and the Glory, “When God begins a new work, He does not require a vast organization of high-powered fund-raisers and image-projectors.  All He needs are a few men who want to live totally and solely for Him.” In a new year, could God launch a new work because a few men and women, determined like Paul, to be totally committed to knowing His Son? Something to think about . . . in reveration.
 
Inspiration
I believe in the name of the Son of God.  Therefore I am in Him, having redemption and life by His Spirit.  And He is in me, and all fitness is in Him.  To Him I belong by purchase, conquest, and self-surrender; to me He belongs for all my hourly need.  There is no veil or cloud between my Lord and me.  There is no obstacle to His indwelling and infilling.  I yield my entire being to Him; and what I cannot do He can.—F.B. Meyer in Meet For The Master’s Use
 
©2025 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)