Knowing the One.
What does that even mean?
During services in September you may have heard our vision for the next year mentioned:
And zeroing in on the first of the three, Knowing the One, we read on kensingtonchurch.org/aboveall:
“This year will be one of exponential growth – as we choose to grow in our relationship with Jesus as never before. Jesus wants you to know Him – not just about Him!
Personal Challenge:
· Gather for worship each week.
· Spend one-on-one time with Jesus each day.”
Gathering for worship each week is tangible – attend the weekend service. Come. Assemble. Be with the people who call Kensington home.
Spend one-on-one time with Jesus each day. Hmmm, is this one a little less tangible?
I’m here to suggest daily one-on-one time with Jesus doesn’t have to be complicated and with small adjustments to your day you can grow a deeper relationship with Him.
We are what we consume. We tell the younger generations that often. We are bombarded with a variety of messaging all day long. The tone of our day can be set by what we consume. We can place ourselves in noisy echo chambers that reinforce what we already believe or develop a tension headache by engaging the other side. We each have a different threshold. Some of us can watch the news, some of us shouldn’t. Some of us can engage with social media, some of us shouldn’t. You probably know who you are. As a believer who desires to live a Christ-like life in this broken world I want to be intentional about what I consume each day. My time with Jesus keeps me grounded, balanced, and joy-filled.
New beginnings happen every day. Are you a new year’s resolution person? Surveys indicate almost half of Americans make NYE resolutions. The start of a new year is an opportunity to set new goals and commit to better habits. I want to challenge that; new beginnings are not reserved for January 1st only – each morning gives us a fresh start. It is an opportunity to breathe deeply, reflect, and regroup for the day ahead. The newness of each day mirrors God’s ongoing work of grace and mercy in our lives each day. It frees us from the past and offers a new way forward. I’d much rather have a reset button 365 days of the year, versus 1 day each year.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes we overcomplicate the things that are confusing or scary so we have a reason to avoid them. Maybe it’s the thought, “Perhaps it would be easier to spend time with Jesus in the flesh –who would stand up God in human form?” Perhaps it seems impossible to add one more appointment to your bursting-at-the-seams schedule. Perhaps it’s another thing…there is always a “thing.” Ask yourself this: could making one small adjustment be exactly what God is prompting you to do in this season of your life?
Use your phone to contact Jesus. One of my favorite ways to spend daily time with Jesus is by using the YouVersion Bible App. If you don’t know what this is, Google it. And then download it. It’s a Bible at your fingertips (in all translations). Its “Daily Refresh” includes verse of the day, a short video, and guided prayer. What I love most about this app is the Bible reading plans/daily devotions. There are plans for specific topics (anxiety, how to read the Bible, leadership, God’s grace, singleness, and on and on…) and plans for a specific book of the Bible. There are also plans to help you read through the entire Bible at a variety of paces. Each plan has three parts – Devotion/Prayer, Scripture, Talk it Over. You can do a plan by yourself or with friends. If you do it with others, you will all see their responses in the “Talk it Over” section.
I use the YouVersion Bible App in a variety of ways. In 2022 I participated in a 365-day plan with 31 people. Each day I looked forward to “Talk it Over” responses, and often contributed myself. There was beauty and richness found in this vulnerability and authenticity. This year I am doing back-to-back reading plans with my husband. They vary in length, ranging from 3 to 31-days. Our current plan takes 5-10 minutes to complete each day. We do it independently, see each other’s “Talk it Over” responses, and some days we further discuss verbally.
YouVersion Bible plans are part of my daily rhythm. I try to read my plan in the morning, it’s one of the first things I do when I pick up my phone. It grounds me, it gives me a truth or Scripture or challenge or new perspective to chew on. It focuses my prayer in that moment. It’s often a brief part of my day, but it’s specific and foundational. I encourage you to try it.
Gratitude is the best conversation with Jesus. Have you ever done a brain dump – just put on paper “all the things” you need to do? Similar but different, some people journal their prayers and answers to those prayers. I stumbled upon gratitude lists accidentally. I had created a prayer list after feeling a little overwhelmed by the pain in my family and the struggles of friends around me. I felt that shallow feeling after the thousandth response of “praying for you” and I was sitting in dark space asking God for help. I felt prompted to focus on what He has already done, not just what could be done. So, after writing that prayer list, I wrote a gratitude list.
It was a beautiful exercise, and it still is every time I do it. Gratitude is amazing. It has supernatural power to connect us to Him in a transforming way. It is the conduit for rich conversation, it has no agenda, and it lifts us above the parts of life that weigh us down. Gratitude can train our brains to discuss the possibilities with God, and not just the problems. Gratitude is a form of pure worship. Gratitude opens our eyes to ways that God is at work in our lives.
It’s so simple, you don’t need special tools or prompts or training. Use loose paper, a pretty journal, or the notes app on your phone. Go ahead – tell God what you are thankful for.
Let’s do it! Let’s commit to spending one-on-one time with Jesus each day. Here are just a few ways to connect with Him. If you need encouragement or more suggestions, I’d love to help – email me at discipleship@kensingtonchurch.org.
