What Will You Do on New Year’s Eve?

This devotional was written by Jim Burns

Thou hast made the moon to mark the seasons, the sun knows it’s time for setting. —Psalm 104:19 RSV

Today is the last day of 2012. Tomorrow dawns a brand new year! Are you ready for it? Well, before the New Year is upon us, here’s an important reminder: Don’t overlook today! Today, you were handed from God 24 hours to live life to the fullest. That's 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. Sometimes we get so busy and distracted we miss the fact that each rising sun brings new opportunities and adventures on this planet we call Earth. God gives us one new day at a time so that we aren't distracted by the future or paralyzed by the past. So, today may be the last day of the year, but today is also the first day of the rest of your life. Make the most of today! Enjoy God's gift to you. You can accomplish a great deal with the 1,440 minutes in a day. Today, stop and take advantage of all that God has provided for you.

The greatest commodity you have at your fingertips is time. Everyone has the same amount of time to use or waste today. The happiness in your life depends on how you use your time. Periodically, I need to take an evaluation of how I am using my time. This little list helps me keep perspective:

Take time to THINK — it is the source of power.

Take time to PLAY — it is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to be FRIENDLY — it is the road to happiness.

Take time to LOVE — it is a God-given privilege.

Take time to READ — it is a fountain of wisdom.

Take time to PRAY — it is the greatest power on earth.

Take time to LAUGH — it is the music of the soul.

Take time to GIVE — it is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to WORK — it is the price of success.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Reread Psalms 104:19. What has God created to show us the importance of time?

2. The paragraph above lists a number of ways you could spend your time each day. Take a few minutes to evaluate how you spend your time. Is your time divided appropriately between all of these important areas?

FURTHER READING:

Psalms 118:24

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