January 13, 2015 - along the Way ...

My one word for 2015 is "mindful".

As I think about what it means to be "mindful", I am drawn to the words in Psalm 8:3-4,

"When I consider Your heavens,

the work of Your fingers, 

the moon and the stars,

which You have set in place,

what is mankind that You are mindful of them,

human beings that You care for them?"

It is quite remarkable that God is "mindful" of us.  It is almost hard to believe.  The Psalmist highlights this when he considers the vast array of all of God's creation, and it causes him to ask, 

"what is mankind that You are mindful of them ... ?"  What is mankind, indeed! 

Yet the simple truth remains that God is mindful of mankind, and He does care about human beings.

It is important to remember God's care and mindfulness when we pray.  

This weekend I was able to pray with a person having great difficulty in life.  The person was not convinced that prayer would help.  He felt his prayers had gone unanswered for so long, but then made the comment, "but maybe He plays favorites."

I could feel the pain in his comment, anguish, disbelief, feeling forgotten and alone.   And as I have reflected on that moment, it has reminded me that God does not play favorites.  In fact, He only hears my prayers because I pray in Jesus' name.  It is through Jesus that we, as human beings, have access to the Father.   (see John 14:12-14; Hebrews 4:14-16)

So God is mindful of Jesus, (see Hebrews 2:5-9, ff.) and by extension He is mindful of all who believe in Jesus.  Even so, it is amazing that God is mindful of us, yet the truth remains that He is.

As I reflect on my own life, I realize that I am not always mindful of others.   I do not always look out for others, in fact I often look for ways to step on or over others in order to get what I want.  I am a very self-centered person.  

Therefore, it is essential that I learn to develop mindfulness.   Mindfulness will keep me from looking past others, and will keep me attentive to each one's needs, which is often more than what they might want at the time.  Mindfulness will enable me to love and serve others well, to place needs before wants, and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.  

So what are you learning about your one word for 2015?  I invite you to share your insights, as we continue to journey together along the Way ...