January 4 through 10, 2010

Day One: Mark 1:1, “The beginning…” I’ve been writing articles, columns, speeches, sermons, booklets, etc. for 45 years. Like most other people who are writers and speakers I know that figuring out how to start a talk or article is usually the hardest part. I usually know what I want to say, the idea of want to convey, the end I want to achieve. But those critical first few seconds or minutes cause me to often stare at a blank computer screen. The same holds true when we set a goal or decide to make a change. We know the outcome we want, but have trouble getting started. No doubt the writer of this, the oldest known gospel had the same problem. I can see this fellow, knowing what he wanted to say but puzzling over how to open his work. Finally, he simply wrote, “The beginning of...” In life, as in writing sometimes it is better to simply say, “The beginning of (my diet, my job search, etc) and get started. Someone has said that beginning is half the battle.

Day Two: Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the good news…” According to psychologist and sociologist people respond best to good news because it provides a ray of hope, encouragement and empowerment. Experts tell us that often the key to change management in businesses, churches and organizations is to present the change as being good news (it will make things easier, reduce expenses, increase security, etc). This same principle holds true in our personal lives. Always couch your goals and ambitions as being good news. How do you do that? By listing (and reviewing) all the good that achieving it will provide for you, your family or your career.

Day Three: Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Those who teach public speaking and/or writing usually advocate grabbing people’s attention as soon as possible. This can be done through a provocative statement that speaks to their interest, or by piquing their curiosity. It makes them want to read on or to listen. It also creates anticipation and often excitement about gaining new information (news teasers are a good example). This writer's audience had heard so many conflicting things about Jesus these words no doubt created this sense of interest and anticipation. What does that have to do with helping us toward our goals for the coming year? Simply this, be sure you are really interested in the “good news” about what you are trying to accomplish. You do this by making sure you are really sold on the benefits it will bring your life. Remind yourself everyday not only of that good news, but the ultimate reason of making the effort.

Day Four: Mark 1:2,3, “As it is written in the prophet Isaiah…” We all know that the past is prologue for the future. Industrial psychologist tell us that by linking new skills with things we have learned to do in the past people learn to master them much quicker. The same is true with trying to reach new objectives. If we can link them with similar goals that we have accomplished in the past then we find it easier to have the confidence to move forward because “I did that, so I can do this” becomes our mantra. Coupling that with power words of faith from the Bible empowers and inspires us. The writer of Mark used this concept when he linked his message with the trusted words of two prophets, Isaiah and Malachi.

Day Five: Mark 1:4, “John the Baptist appeared…” As children of Almighty God, we know, at least intellectually that when our goals are right our Heavenly Father brings things together at the right time, in the right place with the thing we need the most. In some cases it could be a person we meet who gives us the “right idea” or encouragement. At other times it might be something we “happened” to read. Or it could simply be that he gives us ideas (counsel) that guide our actions.

Day Six: Mark 1:5, “And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him…” A former associate minister to the late Dr. Charles Allen, the famous pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston (at that time the largest church in that denomination) said that on many a Sunday morning Dr. Allen would sit in his study and ask, “What if nobody comes today?” No doubt John the Baptist felt that way each day. Just like many of us as we start moving toward what we know we should be doing we wonder whether all that we’ve done thus far will see results. It is our job to “follow” our God given dream, to pursue that goal that we feel God has put on our heart, when we do that results will come. True, they may not be in the form we expected but whatever the final result we can know that He will be glorified.

Day Seven: Mark 1:7, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming…I am not worthy to…untie the thong of his sandals.” My father was a minister for over 65 years. He loved to tell young ministers about his third sermon. It seems that his first two had gone really well (or at least the folks convinced him that he was another Billy Sunday or whoever back in his day). Anyway, he took the pulpit with the past compliments of people ringing in his mind…and to quote him, “fell flat on my face.” With head hung low he stepped down from the pulpit after the service. One of his mentors came up to him and said, “Bob, if you had gone into the pulpit the way you came out, you’d have done a great job.” It is easy to “believe our own press releases” when we start achieving our objectives. Every time I read is verse, I wonder if perhaps we was talking as much to himself as to the crowd—reminding himself of who he was and why he was doing what he was doing.