Life is full of unexpected moments that change everything. Sometimes these are moments we anticipate—a wedding day, the birth of a child. But often, the most transformative moments come when we least expect them: a conversation in a bookstore, an email checked during a quiet week, or even a Sunday morning service during the awkward week between Christmas and New Year's.
December 28th might seem like an unlikely day for God to speak. Nationally, it's the lowest attended Sunday of the year. Half the world is back at work while the other half has the week off. Christmas decorations create confusion—should they stay up for the twelve days of Christmas or come down? It's an in-between time that feels neither here nor there.
Yet this awkward timing makes it the perfect moment for an unexpected encounter with God.
As a new year approaches, many people pin their hopes on January 1st as the day everything will change. If the previous year was difficult, there's anticipation that the next will be better. But why wait four days? Why couldn't today be the day when God meets us and speaks to us?
The truth is, transformation doesn't require a specific date on the calendar. It requires an open heart and a willingness to hear from God—even on an unexpected Sunday when attendance is low and the week feels awkward.
In Ezekiel 47:1-2, the prophet receives a vision of water flowing from the temple:
"Then he brought me back to the door of the temple. And behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east. The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east. And behold, the water was trickling out on the south side."
This passage comes after chapters of detailed temple descriptions. Just when the tour seems complete, Ezekiel notices something remarkable: water flowing from the temple. This water eventually becomes a river that flows into the Dead Sea, transforming it from lifeless waters into an ecosystem teeming with life.
This river is a prophecy pointing to Jesus Christ. Consider the evidence:
This is why being Jesus-centered matters. It's not about denying the Trinity or elevating Jesus above the Father or Holy Spirit. Rather, it's recognizing that Jesus is the one who took on human flesh, lived the only sinless life ever lived, died on the cross to pay sin's penalty, and rose again from the dead.
Colossians 1:28 captures the heart of what following Jesus is all about:
"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to a church in Colossae that he had never visited. The church was likely started by Epaphroditus, who encountered Christ in Ephesus under Paul's ministry and then returned to his hometown to share the gospel. When Paul heard about this new church, he wrote to ensure they truly understood what they believed, as false teachings were widespread.
Paul wanted them to grasp the supremacy and primacy of Christ. His entire ministry could be summarized in this one verse. Let's break it down:
The noun "him" refers to Jesus Christ. This is Paul's way of saying his life, ministry, and everything centers on Christ. It's all about Jesus.
When something truly wows us, we naturally share it. A great restaurant, an amazing movie, a championship victory—whatever captures our hearts flows from our lips. Paul was wowed by Jesus. The Savior who died for his sins and rose from the dead had invited him into a relationship. This is why Jesus became the center of everything in Paul's life.
Paul wanted his readers to be equally wowed by Jesus, knowing that if they were, they would inevitably proclaim Him too.
The key phrase here is "with all wisdom." Proclaiming Jesus isn't about standing on street corners with bullhorns preaching about hellfire. It's about wisdom in how we share the message.
One of the most effective ways to proclaim Jesus is through asking questions. Too often, we focus on what we need to say rather than what we need to hear. We try to answer questions people aren't asking or highlight aspects of God's character they're not interested in. But when we take time to listen, learn their story, understand their beliefs and experiences, we begin to see how God's character speaks into their specific life situation.
Wisdom means hearing their real questions and helping them find answers—or at least pointing them in the right direction.
This is the ultimate goal: spiritual maturity. More than physical health, great relationships, or even being liked, the deepest longing should be for believers to become mature in Christ—to love like Jesus loved and live like Jesus lived.
Day after day, it becomes clearer that this is what our world desperately needs. The more mature in Christ people become, the more they fall in love with Christ. And the more in love with Christ they are, the more they will proclaim Him through their lives, presence, actions, and words.
Themes provide helpful direction. They guide decisions about what to include and what to set aside. During a planning retreat, the idea emerged that a yearly theme could benefit the church—and God had already been orchestrating one without anyone realizing it.
The groundwork began in fall 2024 when church elders selected devotional materials for the annual 21 days of prayer. They chose one focused on Psalm 119 for 2025 and reserved another—centered entirely on Jesus—for 2026. Separately, there was a growing conviction that the church should study 1 Corinthians, which they did in fall 2025. Then came the realization that the book of Hebrews should be the focus for the new year.
As these pieces came together—21 days studying different aspects of Jesus, followed by a sermon series through Hebrews revealing Jesus as the true and greater everything (Moses, Abraham, Sabbath, high priest)—the theme became clear: To Know Him and Make Him Known.
This theme isn't drastically different from the church's existing identity, but it serves as a timely reminder of Christ's supremacy and primacy. It echoes Colossians 1:28 perfectly: making it all about Jesus because He is the one who died on the cross, came out of the grave, and loves us.
Whether preparing for 21 days of focused prayer or an entire year of knowing Christ better, several practical steps create space for God to work:
Begin now. Use the days leading up to a focused season of prayer to ask God to prepare hearts for what He wants to do and say. These prayer seasons aren't about earning brownie points with God or appearing holy to others. They're about longing to be with God and seeking after Him.
Some people are natural planners with established routines for Bible reading and devotional time. Others are more flexible and go with the flow. If you're in the latter category, you'll need to be intentional about scheduling time. Put it in your calendar. Set an alarm. Ask a friend to hold you accountable with a daily text.
This isn't about making devotional time a burdensome duty, but about committing to chase after God and see another aspect of Him revealed each day.
Give up something. Living in a physical world while following an invisible God makes it easy to get distracted by tangible things and forget spiritual reality. Setting aside earthly things—even temporarily—reminds us that He matters more.
For some, this will mean social media or a specific phone app. For others, it's an activity engaged in daily that has taken too high a place in the heart.
Consider fasting from food or drink as well. Every instance of fasting in the Bible involves food, likely because smartphones didn't exist—people needed to give up something truly important. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy when tempted by Satan: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by the very words of God."
What food or drink sustains you more than the Lord? Energy drinks, coffee, desserts, sugar? Give it up for a focused season. Some might fast one meal daily (breakfast or lunch). Others might fast an entire day once a week during the prayer period. Partner with someone if it helps—fasting together is easier than fasting alone.
During a fast, reminders of what was given up will come frequently. A thumb automatically reaching for a deleted app. Someone offering the food that was surrendered. These temptations are actually gifts from God, exposing how tied we are to worldly things.
Each reminder becomes an opportunity to confess: "God, thank you for this moment that reminds me I do not live by bread alone, but by Your word." These moments of confession lead to the final step.
Lay prostrate before the throne of God's grace, saying, "God, do in me whatever You want to do. Say to me whatever You need to say. Accomplish what You need to accomplish." Because it's all about Him—not personal greatness, wants, or desires. It's Him we proclaim.
Praying, planning, fasting, confessing, and surrendering creates space and opportunity for God to bring an unexpected holy moment. There's no guarantee of when or how God will speak, but even without a dramatic moment, nothing is lost. Time spent getting to know Jesus better, dwelling in His Word, and seeking after Him is always worthwhile. That's a win regardless.
The invitation stands: May the days ahead be filled with opportunities to know Him and make Him known. May hearts be prepared for whatever victories and challenges lie ahead. May there be a willingness to hear what God needs to say and surrender to what He wants to do.
Why? Because any work God does is ultimately for our good, for our joy, and for His glory.
After all, it's Him we proclaim.
