Word for the year (2017)

Today is my last post for 2016. I am grateful for how far the Lord has brought you and I this year as we continued to journey with Him. Even as we crossover to 2017 in some few hours, I pray that you will have a blessed 2017 steeped in the grace and favor of our Lord. Amen

In the beginning was the Word. (John 1:1) 

Happy New Year’s Eve! Right now, people across the world are looking ahead and setting resolutions for the next year. How about you? Do you have special plans? It’s fun to consider the potential a new year holds; it’s almost like beholding a blank canvas. You may even feel that you can draw up a rough sketch of 2017 based on your goals or your calendar.

But wouldn’t it be fascinating to get a glimpse into what God has in mind for you next year? Many people pray to receive a “word for the year” to do just that. This is a single word or phrase that the Spirit brings to their minds while they’re praying or reading the Scriptures. It’s a word that hints at God’s plans for them and his desires for them in the coming year. Patience . . . Rest . . . Know that I am near. These are all real words that people sensed from the Holy Spirit in the quiet of their hearts. While these words are only small glimpses, they lend a splash of color and form to the blank canvas of the new year. Oftentimes, they become helpful points of reference for people as the weeks and months tick on—similar to a vanishing point used by artists.

A word for the year even seems to gel with today’s Gospel. In the beginning was the Word (John 1:1). Who’s to say that Jesus, the living Word of God, won’t give you a heavenly word to begin the year? Remember, John wrote of how Jesus longs to bring his light into the world by pouring out truth and grace upon grace (1:16).

Would you like to know the secret to getting a word for the year? Ask God! It’s that simple. Ask, and then be still. Be aware of any word, thought, or phrase that surfaces in your mind. It could be from God—especially if that word fills you with peace or hope or joy. Or spend some time slowly reading today’s Scripture passages. Watch for the Lord to illuminate a particular verse. Or wait to see if he gives you a word by drawing from the truths in the Mass readings as you carry them in your heart today, just as a painter draws from the colors on his palette.

“Lord, what’s my word for the year?”

from wau.org