How many of us love adventure? Do you ever take your kids with you outside and just go see what you can find? I loved doing that with my daughter when she was younger. We didn’t know what we would find, but it was about the adventure, the journey, that was the exciting part, getting to discover new things together. We found new heart rocks or random quarters or pennies or treasured fallen leaves. We have loved the movie Up for years now. One of the quotes is an enthusiastic: “Adventure is out there!”
As Christ-followers, there is so much to discover about this incredibly amazing, devoted, loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God. He had no beginning, and He has no end. It can be easy to forget about the adventure that the Lord is inviting us into with Him, the adventure of discovering new and beautiful things about Him, discovering what it is like to seek Him and find Him, especially with the state of the world and all that we have walked through over the last few years. It has wearied us, hasn’t it? It has stolen our joy and our longing for new adventures with Jesus.
As 2023 starts to unfold, with years past, I can understand our hesitancy or our desire to shrink back or be fearful of what might be there. It will take effort and intentionality in each one of us to continue to bravely step into the adventure that awaits us. We can have hope, excitement, and expectancy around the Lord’s goodness in everything we encounter this year, not because of what we have endured or seen, but because He is good!
I’m praying for courage and resolve to remain in Jesus and that we will find beauty and adventure in Him this year!
Acts 11: 23-24 says “When he (Barnabas) came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”
Steadfast purpose – What a powerful phrase. As the body of Christ, I encourage us to remain steadfast in our adventure with Jesus. It will take resolve that we might not have tapped into before. It will take great strength and determination to keep going, adventuring, and pursuing Him. All that we need is found in Him. He is the source of the resilience and resolve we need to go on another adventure called 2023 and to trust Him to navigate the journey ahead of us. Ask Him and seek Him for what is needed!
Prayer
Lord, would you give us your steadfast strength to continue to seek out the daily adventures and encounters you have for us? Thank you for the supernatural resolve to continue to move forward with You. We give you permission to lead us into everything you have planned for us this year.
