Pursuit in 2013

Each year, for the past 12 years, I have had a verse from the Bible which is specific for that year. Sometimes I have had to hunt for them; other times they have lept out of a passage I was studying at the time. Sometimes they have encouraging; other times challenging.

Last year I had Jeremiah 17:7-8 as my verse (see below). I was intrigued by this choice as Jeremiah is not a book I am familiar with, but this verse stuck in my head after I'd read it in a book. Looking back over 2012 it has definitely been a year of drought for me with the birth of Zoë Grace and first year of being a mum. I have not been able to read, study, pray or listen as much as I was used to, but I don't feel that I have withered. It's always difficult to see whether you've borne fruit, but from what others have said, I think that I have.

My verse for 2013 is 1 Timothy 6:11" But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." In between my conversion and Jesus' return I am to live in a certain way: fleeing ungodliness and pursuing godly characteristics. And I'm not just to breeze through life, I'm to actively pursue these characteristics. It reminds me of all the athletes who have 'pursued' the Gold medal; they've trained hard, given up certain things, all for the single result. I am to live in the same way. 

Over the year my plan is to ponder one of these words for a couple of months (Jan/Feb: righteousness, Mar/Apr: godliness, May/Jun: faith, Jul/Aug: love, Sep/Oct: endurance, Nov/Dec: gentleness) and find out all I can about what it means, what it means to how I should live, where it's used in the Bible etc. I'll let you know what I find... 

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2012 – “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, who confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

2011 - “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

2010 – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8

2009 – “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”  James 2:22

2008 – “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

2007 – “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

2006 – “Be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2005 – “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,, rooted and built up in him,, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

2004 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23

2003 – “For no-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

2002 – “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like starts in the universe.” Philippians 2:14-15