A few years back I started the tradition of making a family calendar each year,  with photographs from the previous year and 12 Bible verses for each of the 12 months. I send one to each of my sons and I one hangs in our bedroom at home. This year my father- in-law asked for one too! As we flip through the months, though we are separated by oceans and time zones, we are all reminded of the timeless promises in God’s Word and the photographs remind us of God’s faithfulness and goodness in the past.

Today is New Years Day- a fresh new calendar hangs waiting for me to fill it in with work deadlines, travel plans, family meetings, weddings and celebrations to attend. As I look at the empty squares and the crisp paper I am reminded of the following verse.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”-Proverbs 16:9 NIV

This year I am choosing to cling to and live out Colossians 3:1-3

“Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of
God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”-Colossians 3:1-3 NIV

This is how I summarized the 3 verses.

1. Set your heart on things above

2. Set your mind on things above

3. Your life is hidden with Christ in God

I like to note down verses in my journal with a small sketch to remember it. For these verses I was reminded of the Venn diagram. I drew a circle and wrote my name and added ‘with Christ’ inside the circle. Then I drew a bigger circle around it and wrote ‘God’ to remind me that me and Christ are in God.

How reassuring is that! My life- my family, my work, my decisions, my health- all the details are HIDDEN with Christ. The word hidden helps me feel safe, unharmed, comforted, held in love and care.

I pray that each of us will live with confident joy and calm assurance through the coming year 2022 because of this promise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shoba Ranjitsingh is an architect, writer, a proud mother and an excited new grandmother who works in a Primary school in New Zealand. Shoba enjoys studying God’s word and her role as a STL at Bible Study Fellowship in NZ for 6 years has enabled her to now write and lead Women’s Bible Studies. Helping women study and enjoy God’s word as they embrace each season of life is her prayer as a writer. Long walks, cakes, hymns, coffee, books and quiet family evenings describe Shoba. Ranjit and Shoba live in Auckland.