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| What's your goal? |
Hebrews 12:1-3 NIVTherefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Setting Goals is a theme that's come up at women's retreats I've been to in the last 12 months. I realised that the above passage is talking about setting goals too, and it is something you find in Scripture.
Look at all these:
1 Cor. 9:24 Aim for the prize, don't live aimlessly, live as God wants us to.
2 Cor 5:9 Our goal: please God.
1 Peter 1:9 End result of our faith: salvation and therefore joy.
Eph. 2:10 God has prepared good works in advance for us to do.
Phil 3:12-21 Especially verse 14 our goal: heaven.
Col 3:1, 2 Set your hearts and minds on things above
Col 3:24 Your reward is inheritance from the Lord.
Ps 119:37 "Turn me away from wanting any other plan than yours. Revive my heath towards you." LB
Here is the caution:
Is 55:8 "This plan of mine is not what you would woe out, neither are my thoughts yours." LB
As we face going back to Australia in eight weeks, we realise that many people there, including family, won't understand our motivation for continuing to work and live in Japan. It's largely because they don't understand that we're serving God and have our hearts and minds set on things above. That is our goal. It clashes terribly with the goals of our culture.
But indeed I go back to the Hebrew passage I'm meditating on for 2014, and verse three tells me to remember those who've gone before (and there's quite a list in the previous chapter, if you want to go and have a look), so that we won't be discouraged!
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