Embracing the New Year!

Happy New Year! WOW 2011! What will this year bring?! I do not know that answer, but it is my prayer that whatever God brings, I will embrace it.
Thus, my word for this year: EMBRACE!
When you think about the word for a moment, it has a lot of depth and meaning. It can be applicable in most any circumstance or situation. Let's look at the definition.

Embrace: [em-breys]

verb (used with object)
1. to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug.
2. to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea
3. to avail oneself of: to embrace an opportunity.
4. to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.): to embrace Christianity.
5. to take in with the eye or the mind.
6. to encircle; surround; enclose.
7. to include or contain: An encyclopedia embraces a great number of subjects.

verb (used without object)
8. to join in an embrace.

noun
9. an act or instance of embracing.


I have already begun the daily habit in my prayer to ask God to equip me for each day. I have learned the hard way that I cannot do things in this life alone. It is only through Him, in Christ that I am equipped. However after some reflection I realized that while I am good at asking Him to equip me each day, am I truly embracing each day and whatever it brings? In short, NO… I am not.

So my prayer is that this year I will embrace each day, to the fullest. There is more to it than that though. It is not just embracing each day, but embracing life, embracing MY life and the people in it. When we embrace Christ, we are accepting Him, and who we are in Him. He loves us unconditionally. It should go without saying that we too should love others unconditionally… but we don’t. Let’s face it, we are human… and fall short of the glory of God, daily. We try to change others, circumstances, situations, life as it is, molding it to what we want and think it should be. Instead we are to embrace life and people for who they are, made in Christ’s image, and love them unconditionally without trying to change everything to fit our desires. If there is anything to be changed, it should be ourselves. We should embrace Christ so much that we want to change ourselves and be more like Him. As we become more like Him, only then can others see who Christ is through us. He is the light and the way. Embrace it. May I truly embrace that daily.