It’s almost New Year’s but not quite yet. It’s that in-between time when we don’t really know what to do with ourselves. The excitement of Christmas is over and the New Year is not here yet. We like living for the next big thing, don’t we? We want to see something coming on the horizon but what about the in-between times. I know a week is no big deal, but life has all kinds of in-betweens.

The people in the Bible had those in-between times too. Here are a few examples.

• Naomi- Between Moab, where she was living, and home was a long road to travel.
• Jonah- Between the call of God and where he was called to preach was the belly of a big fish.
• Joseph- Between the favor of his father’s coat of many colors and the palace was a pit and prison.
• Moses-Between birth and being a successful leader was a basket in the bulrushes, excuses why he couldn’t be a leader and a lot of wandering in the wilderness.
• Mary- Between the visit of the angel and giving birth to the Savior was questions, ponderings, a ride on a donkey and labor.

Life is not easy. But, it is the in-between places that we struggle, grow and learn. Yes, some of the places are created by our own stubbornness and disobedience, some are just life happenings, and some are God designed.

Let’s don’t go through life waiting for the next exciting thing. Let’s savor each day and make the most of the ordinary. Let’s learn and grow from the in-betweens. There will be those extraordinary, exciting events in all of our lives but if we celebrate those as icing on the cake and learn to appreciate the cake days our lives will be full and complete.

Happy New Year! In the remaining time before then, plan how you are going to spend time in God’s word and in devotion to him this coming year. Praying we all have much icing in the year to come and rich, fulfilling cake to support the sweetness.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” (Romans 12:1) (MSG)