Every year I choose a word to focus on, you can read about the process of how I go about this HERE. However, for 2020 I felt God place not just a word, but two scripture verses and one spiritual practice on my heart.
The word I felt God land on my heart was the word cultivate. Typically, I would do a word study, but the Bible doesn’t use the word “cultivate” like we would. Instead, I took the opportunity to look at what God may be asking me to cultivate around, as well as within myself.
Scripture Verses + Spiritual Practice
The first of the two verses God put in front of me was Matthew 22:37-40. I love how The Message translates this passage.
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
Matthew 22:37-40 (The Message)
I see this verse as being an active response to the spiritual practice I have chosen to embrace this year, which is the practice of Sacred Holding. You can learn more about that HERE. According to Spiritualityandpractice.com this is ‘A method of cultivating compassion towards oneself which helps facilitate transformative conversation’. It goes on to be explained as “Sacred holding is a method for cultivating compassion for oneself. Like the Christian welcoming prayer…this practice invites us to notice, name and nurture awareness of all our feelings, especially the negative ones, rather than impulsively express, repress or obsess about them.”
Essentially, it’s the practice of creating a safe place within one’s own self to acknowledge feelings and to begin to cultivate compassion for ourselves. As one gets more comfortable with this practice it is then an avenue for opportunity to cultivate and practice compassion towards others.
If you’re thinking, “Oh my goodness – this is all so fluffy, Monica I just can’t!” I would say, yup! I am right there with you! If you’ve followed me for any length of time you know one of my favorite sayings is “The truth doesn’t care about your feelings.” While I still hold this to be true and will always be a firm believer in absolute truth, I realize that statement can limit the ability for compassion. Compassion for yourself as well as for others.
Through this verse and this practice, I prayerfully enter a season of cultivating a better understanding of loving myself, others and my God.
The Second Verse
Again, I’m going to quote The Message translations here, because it states it so beautifully. The second verse comes to us from Hebrews 13:20 – 21
20May God, who puts all things together, makes all things whole, Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant, Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd, up and alive from the dead, 21Now put you together, provide you with everything you need to please him, Make us into what gives him most pleasure, by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah. All glory to Jesus forever and always!
Hebrews 13:20-21 The Message
A Little Context
I have to give you verse 20 so that you can see who it is we are giving glory to, as well as whom it is that is doing the equipping. However, my focus for this year of 2020 lies firmly in verse 21. “Equip you with everything good for doing HIS will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I would venture to guess that I’m not alone in often times feeling inadequate. I feel inadequate in my role as a mother, a student, a writer, business owner and the list goes on and on. I most certainly by no means am immune to insecurity and feelings of self-doubt. I, just like you – struggle greatly to feel as though I can accomplish the tasks in which God has called me to.
When I read this verse, I am reminded that it is Jesus Christ himself who is going to equip me. He doesn’t just equip me for each role I’m led to fulfill in this life, He equips me with everything good for doing HIS will.
Side bar moment – I want to clarify God’s will for our lives. Sometimes it can be seen as one specific movement or decision, however God’s will is described so lovely in 1 Thessalonians by the apostle Paul. He says “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
In order to accomplish God’s will I absolutely need His grace and equipping. But not only does God equip us through His son, Jesus Christ to fulfill His will, He equips us to do the work in us that is pleasing to Him. I am relying, digging in, I am cultivating the practice that God will equip me for the work He has put in me, that He has set before me and called me to.
Historical Context (My Favorite!)
The phrase “put you together” in verse 21 would have been heard as the Greek word katartidzo. It would have been understood as a mending of sorts. Mending a broken bone, or to a fisher, mending a broken fishing net. SO THAT, from that mending you can go out and do the work in which God calls you to.
It is cultivating a spiritual maturity in oneself SO THAT, God can work in us and through us that which pleases Him and accomplishes His will.
The CEV translation says this; “I pray God will make you ready to obey him and you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus Help you do what pleases God. To Jesus Christ be the glory forever and ever, Amen”
There you have it my friends, my word for 2020 is CULTIVATE and I felt it last November but of course thought it was going to be so much different than I’m already seeing it, as God often does with these things!
My prayer is to cultivate many things but most importantly to focus in on His Great Commandment, Love People, Love God. Cultivating within not only myself but inspire others in compassion, love and obedience to my God.
What’s your word for 2020? Do you have one? If so, let me know! I’d love to cheer you on this year!
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