Read: Colossians 3:1-14

“Hi, Dad,” Kiera said as she sat down at the table for breakfast. “Are you going to have to work late again tonight?” Kiera’s dad was a manager at a large store.

“Nope—it’s New Year’s Eve, so we close early today.” Dad sighed. “I’m ready for a night off. We’ve been busy all week with people returning and exchanging things they got for Christmas and with our annual after-Christmas sale.”

“Why do you always have a big sale right after Christmas?” Kiera asked.

“Well, mostly so we can sell as much as possible before we take inventory next month,” replied Dad.

“Inventory?” Kiera repeated. “What’s that?”

“It’s when they count everything in the store to see if it lines up with what their computer system says they’re supposed to have,” said Kiera’s brother, Brent. “Some things in the store may have gotten lost or stolen, and they need to see what’s missing so it can be replaced or removed from the computer. Right, Dad?”

Dad nodded. “That’s a very good description. We do that once a year.” He paused to take a bite of cereal. “You know, we all need to take inventory of our lives too—and New Year’s Eve is a great time to do that.”

“Take inventory of our lives?” Kiera laughed. “You mean we should count how many pairs of shoes and jeans and socks we have?”

“Not exactly. I was thinking it would be good to review how we’ve been living and whether it lines up with how God tells us to live in the Bible. We should think about whether there are any sins we need to confess. Then we can ask Jesus to forgive us for those things and show us any changes He wants us to make in our lives.”

“So, the changes we should make are like New Year’s resolutions?” asked Kiera.

“Well, I guess they could be,” said Dad. “But they aren’t changes we should try to make on our own—and thinking about our actions and confessing sins is something we should do every day, not just once a year. No matter what time of year it is, we need to trust Jesus to help us reflect His love in all we do and grow to be more like Him.”

–Hazel W. Marett

How about you? Have you taken a spiritual inventory lately? Think about the things that have happened and what you’ve done this past year. How has Jesus helped you grow in your relationship with Him? What are some areas where you didn’t always reflect His love in your thoughts, words, or actions? Ask Him to forgive you for anything you regret. Then depend on Him to help you make any changes you need to and become more and more like Him.

Today's Key Verse: Remember that the Lord your God led you all the way. Deuteronomy 8:2 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Review your spiritual life