It’s two weeks into the new year, and I’ve given little thought to my usual “Going to get a fresh start, gotta do better at….” litany of new year resolutions.
My lack of enthusiasm is partly due to years of setting goals (largely about how much I’m going to work out and how many vegetables I’m going to eat) but seeing little change in those areas.
But mostly, I sense the Lord taking my new year resolutions in a new direction. This sense began with familiar words from Scripture taking a new / New Year meaning:
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord” (Isaiah 6:1).
In one sentence, Isaiah states two major events:
The King of Judah died, and he saw the Lord.
The death of King Uzziah was a turning point for the nation of Judah. For most of his 52-year reign, the king “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 26:4).
Though the king became prideful in his later years, God blessed his reign and Judah prospered. “King Uzziah’s death brought to an end an era of prosperity and well-being and ushered in a time of uncertainty and anxiety. The Assyrian threat was beginning to loom on the horizon” (Asbury Bible Commentary).
To a nation, a king died.
For Isaiah, a greater event happened.
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne.”
A major world event became the backdrop for the most life-changing event of Isaiah’s life.
Isaiah SAW the Lord. He had a supernatural revelation of the glory of Jesus (John 12:41).
He saw Jesus on His throne.
He saw Jesus in His glory, high and exalted.
He saw His all-consuming presence as the train of His robe filled the temple.
Isaiah saw the heavenly beings passionately worship Him.
He heard their guttural cry of HOLY.
Isaiah saw the glory and holiness of God in the person of Jesus. Isaiah SAW, and he was forever changed.
God wants the same for us today.
What will be the hallmark of 2018 for us?
We have the opportunity to experience in 2018AD what Isaiah experienced in 736BC. With all we don’t know about the year ahead, it can go down in our history books as:
The year we Saw the LORD:
perceived with our mind,
had our spiritual eyes opened,
experienced through fresh revelation,
sat in the presence of and were profoundly changed by
THE LORD.
What more could we ask for 2018?
The vision changed Isaiah’s life.
It brought deep repentance and humility:
“‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips’” (Isaiah 6:5).
The revelation brought total surrender.
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8).
Isn’t this what we want?
This is what I want for 2018. I believe as you ponder this, you’ll find it’s what you want too. Is it not the highest, most holy use of our minds, energy and time? Is it not the path to the spiritual growth we seek?
Isaiah had a supernatural vision of God — we can have that too.
We can see the Lord in new and glorious ways — higher and more exalted than we’ve ever seen before. We can see the Lord move in our lives in ways we’ve not experienced before.
As I reflect on 2017, I’m amazed at the changes and events I was completely unaware of at the start of the year. What I treasure most in all of them — in the good and the difficult — are the ways I saw and experienced God.
2017 was a year of seeing God move greatly in my circumstances. I saw God move us to a new city. Even more, I saw Him move our hearts to this city before He ever physically moved us.
My desire for 2018 is to turn my gaze more intently on Him, to see HIM as He truly is: high and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the whole earth. I want to worship Him more fully, be mesmerized by His holiness and beauty. I want to be humbled and become more fully surrendered.
I want 2018 to be about seeing and celebrating Him. I believe you want this too.
Will you join me?
Oh Judy thank you for your encouraging words. Miss you dear friend.????
Lisa,
I miss you!!!
Yes!
Thank you Judy! I definitely want this and will continue to pray and look for it!
Boo,
Thanks for sharing your desire in this as well! I hope all is well with you and your family.
Love this “New Year’s Resolution”! To have that glorious revelation of who He is, to be convicted of my sin and purified from it, to surrender to Him and obey His calling, would make 2018 extraordinary ????
Tammy,
I sooooooo agree!!!
Judy….I have been thinking about you. Glad to know you are well. I loved this devotional thought. You always encourage me.
Like you, I ask God for a Word for the new year. Mine is “Faith like Caleb”. Father God has been teaching me how to fight my Giants. He started this in 2017 when He took me to I Sam. 17 to gleam how David fought Israel’s enemy (the taunting Goliath). He has shown me the power of using my Faith with my words….and openly acknowledging God is in the Battle. He is faithful to deliver.
It had been exciting to hear from Him and know He is very present in my life. What a wonderful God we serve. He is forever teaching and growing us into the Saints He predestined us to be. Always.
Miss seeing you, my friend. Hope that you have a wonderful 2018 and that God continues to enlighten you and show you great and marvelous things. I will be praying for you.
Love and Blessings coming your way.
Jan
Jan,
It wonderful to get an update on what the Lord is teaching and showing you — and what powerful things He’s revealing!
I miss you too! Many love and blessings to you and your family!!! Judy
Thank you Judy for the timely message as everyone in Atlanta is snowbound. Now we have time to meditate on our goals. I noticed that you use Asbury Commentary. Did you know our youngest daughter is on staff there and is working on her MBA? Also her daughter Grace is in school there also. Blessings to you and yours. Miss you ????
Beth,
I knew that they were in Kentucky and at Asbury. I didn’t know about Grace : – ). Many blessings sweet friend!!!
Yes! This is my desire too. And honestly I fight with the non-stop distractions (many good) that lure me away from time with Him. Thank you for your beautiful thoughts. Sometimes (not often) I actually miss he bustle of NYC. Blessings to you.
Our mutual friends the Louders now live nearby. They are such a blessing to us.
Linda,
I know exactly what you mean about the “good” distractions — the good keeping us from the best.
That is exactly what I want! I could see God”s plans for me at the end of 2017, My prayer is he will continue to give me strength and use me to glorify him,
Miss you,
Janet W
Janet,
I love hearing from you and how God is revealing, working and strengthening!!! Praise Him. And bless you!!!
Judy Mills where are you??? As I was reading this post, I thought, we need coffee on my next ATL trip and then read that you moved!:/. Love this post and who He is in your life!!! Blessings! Keltner
I love this, Judy! And I’m so excited to walk alongside you as we seek Him this year! What a blessing your presence has been in my life over the past couple months.
Jodie! Thanks for reading and sharing. I am thrilled that God brought us together! I, too, am VERY excited to see what He has in store.