Our attention is on Christmas and the comings of Christ. Before we know it, it will be 2025! A new year is a chance to set patterns shaped by what matters. Christ’s priorities as a boy were to be in the presence of His Father, and about His Father’s business (Luke 2:41-52). Adopted into His family by grace, Christ’s goals are our goals. We prioritise the Father’s presence. The sense is Psalm 27, in that we find God beautiful, not just useful for getting things. We spend time daily in reading the Word and prayer; not because we must, but because we can. A ‘daily quiet time’ is not a law or burden to earn God’s favour – but a right and privilege of adoption in Christ.
What’s easily misunderstood is that ‘planning is not the enemy of passion’. There’s a temptation to think authenticity is found only in the spontaneous. That unprepared prayers are more honest than praying the Psalms or liturgy – despite Christ’s model of praying psalms. That flicking the Bible open to any page, when the mood takes you, more genuinely reflects passion than systemically working your way through all Scriptures. It’s not the case.
Planning is not the enemy of passion. Many of us will spend Christmas with friends and family. We want to be with them. But without organisation months out, it would be a disaster! (Whose house are we going to this year? Which side of the family for lunch and which for dinner? Who is bringing the pudding? Etc). With the competing interests and invitations, spontaneity diminishes the time together and can prevent it all together. Planning is not the enemy of passion: Good planning creates space to express passion. Good planning protects space to spend time with others so that the relationships are enjoyed and deepened. It’s true of time with God.
Prioritising the Father’s presence starts with planning. It’s being thoughtful about when in the week you’ll spend time with God. You need to plan your week and allocate time: are you sharper in the morning or evenings? Will you have interrupted time at home or at the workplace? Do you plan shorter bursts on weekdays and longer on weekends? You need to co-ordinate with others too. Prayer and Bible study – like all the Christian life – can’t and shouldn’t be done exclusively alone. Which Growth Group will you commit to in 2025? How will you make sure other commitments/pleasures/people/tiredness don’t crowd out being at church or Growth Group each week? Is there someone you could ask to meet with you to read the Scriptures and pray?
What can sound daunting also comes with lots of assistance. Bible reading plans abound. This website gives a variety of free Bible reading plans (eg: 5x5x5 New Testament Bible Reading Plan: Read through the New Testament in a year, reading Monday to Friday. Weekends are set aside for reflection and other reading. Especially beneficial if you’re new to a daily discipline of Bible reading. Or Every Word in the Bible: Read through the Bible (over 3 years) one chapter at a time. Readings alternate between the Old and New Testaments.). And for a small financial investment in this passion, you can pick up devotional books to assist you reflect on what God is saying to you (the pastoral staff would be glad to give recommendations). There’s still time to ask for one as gift on the 25th!
Even with our attention on Christmas, now is the time to plan spending time with the Lord in 2025.
In Him,
Mark Smith
Senior Minister | Congregational Pastor 8am & 7pm
