Do you have a plan?

‘And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.’ – Hebrews 12 vs 1-2

From Helen Machell:

Do you have a plan?

You may know, I’m a list maker!  On a Monday I will start by making a new list ready for the week ahead.  I have a few (dozen- if you speak to Matt!) notebooks scattered around the house to make such lists. Most remain unfinished and contain lists from many years – I tend to grab the one nearest to me and start writing a list. I have tended to do this with my books too.  I want to read one, or find 5 minutes, so instead of grabbing the one I’m actually reading, I get the nearest one to me! This leads to many an unfinished book and I’m usually quite confused for the first 3 pages I’m reading as I have forgotten the plot, character and sometimes even where I am! The 2 collided this week when I made a list of the books that I had left unread – unopened – unfinished. My list had 25 and I hadn’t finished!

I have a tendency to do the same with Lent (and Advent, but that is another tale!). I see books to read, Bible plans to follow and activities to do. So I dutifully make a list. I might even buy a book or a great resource, find a plan on a Bible app or even go to the Oasis.  For the first few days this works well and I’m almost racing ahead to get to the next part or chapter, but after a couple of weeks I will lose interest or forget those once grand plans.

It’s at this point I need to be reminded of the story of the tortoise and the hare, to slow down, to plod not race, a little is better than none AND to fix my eyes on Jesus. When I gaze on Him I will keep persevering, I will be able to run the race before me.  It is my race with God and He will keep me going to the end.

This year things have been done differently, like so many other things – I have not made a list, I have made a plan. To fix my eyes on Jesus. To see it through to the end. To not have an unfinished Lent series/book/resource but to choose one and actually count down towards Lent and Easter, the most important part of the Christian year.  If you haven’t already, make a plan and fix your eyes on Jesus this Lent.