It’s January! The month we make New Year’s Resolutions. I’m always fascinated by friends who choose a word or scripture for their theme for the year. Now I’ve never been good at making New Year’s resolutions that last more than two weeks. Still, this year I feel God has given me a particular word that’s also a resolution. The word: Re-center. Yes, it’s time to re-center.
It’s no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with maps. I’ve written about my total lack of direction and propensity for getting lost. Once, I managed to accidentally drive from Europe to Asia. But recently, I discovered the re-center arrow on Google Maps. I didn’t realize the importance of re-centering my life-map until I found this magic arrow.
Now my husband loves maps. Recently we flew to Seattle and caught an Uber to get to our hotel. I looked over, and my husband had Google Maps open on his phone and was checking out every turn our driver was making. Meanwhile, I’m sitting back relaxing and enjoying the view.
But when it is my turn to handle the map, I’m a hot mess. I can’t stand when the verbal directions on the app say, “turn east.” Why can’t it simply say turn right? Or left? Because in my mind, whichever direction I am driving is north. Right and left, I can usually figure out. I place my hand over my heart like I’m saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and I know that’s my right hand. Simple.
Well, I’ve discovered that in my life, I often take a wrong turn and lose my way. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a zoom button for our life? We could zoom out to see the long view of the future, or zoom in to see all the intricate twists and turns in our lives. I’d love that capability in an app!
Thankfully, I’ve discovered the importance of stopping amid my wanderings and taking time to push the re-center button.
Now, the center on a map may change depending on the route you are using. But for me, in my life, the one thing that never changes is Jesus. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (NIV)
Jesus is my true north, my life compass, the center of my life-map.
Along my life journey, I’ve often followed a detour that led me away from my center, Jesus. Oh, I’ve not forgotten Jesus, but at times I’ve let other things take His place as my life’s center. And while wandering along that detour, the road was rough and bumpy.
And I confess, I don’t have a legitimate excuse for following the detours along the way. Isaiah 30:21 reminds me of where I’ve made my mistake along my path. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (NIV) Instead of listening for God’s direction along the way, I’ve chosen to follow my own will.
So this year, my focus will be on re-centering my life. Choosing to push that re-center button continually and be sure Jesus remains my center. My compass will revolve around the words of Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
In other words, if I turn my eyes to God, seeking Him first, everything else in my life will fall into its rightful place. It’s time to stop circling the mountains of resolutions I’ve made in the past, re-center, seek Him first, then trust Him with the rest.
Looking forward to following God’s map this year!
What are your hopes and dreams for 2020?
