Who are You, Lord?
As the beginning of another year comes our way many will be reflecting back on the year or years that have gone by and pairing that with anticipation of what this new year will bring. This is the time that new resolutions are made, fresh vision is cast, and schedules are put into place. Perhaps even now some of you are preparing to change things in your own life that will benefit you in this upcoming year. Personally, I can’t think of ever making a new year’s resolution, but I do empathize with the excitement of a new season. A lot of life has happened to me in the past couple of months. My wife and I welcomed our 2nd baby boy in November and shortly after I wrapped up an intense two and a half years obtaining my master’s degree. For the first time in several years, it feels exciting and a little scary to come out of such a busy season and step into the unknown waters of whatever is next.
As I wonder about what is awaiting in 2025 I have continued to reflect on the Apostle Paul in his testimony at Rome to a mob of Jewish zealots seeking to kill him. In the beginning of the chapter Paul is being rescued by Roman soldiers when like any good preacher would, he seizes an opportunity to address the people. What he begins to share is his testimony of his conversion. In his message, Paul shares about his experience meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus and how that conversation went. Paul says “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:6-10). I have continued often to call back to this passage over the past year because of the vastness of Paul’s questions. Did you happen to catch them? Paul is face to face with Jesus, the one he’s been speaking and acting against, and his response to this meeting is two simple yet profound questions. Paul asks, “Who are you, Lord?” and then “What shall I do, Lord?”. I cannot help but recognize the magnitude and relevance of these questions for Paul but also think of them for me as well.
The reality is that none of us know what this new year has in store for us. We can make plans and preparations but most certainly we will have things happen in 2025 that we just did not expect to happen. I recognize this for my own life and while I don’t know what is in store in this new season, I do know what questions I plan to be asking this year and every year to follow. I believe that a greater revelation of Jesus is what I and others need more than anything else we could hope for in the year of 2025. A greater revelation of Jesus will reveal Who He is and as one discovers Who He is that will inform ‘Who we are and who we are tells us what to do. The journey of the Christian life is fueled by seeking the answers to Paul’s questions “Who are you, Lord?” and “what will You have me to do?” I suspect if we wake up each and every day with these questions on our hearts no matter what comes to us this year, we will be able to experience a depth in the Lord like we have never before and that my friends is the mark of a good year. I pray you join me this year and we can pursue answers to these questions together in 2025.