Day 5

Purpose

Christ, the Eternal Word

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God, the source of eternal light, as this year comes to a close, I rest in your presence confident that your love is my true home.

I know that through every trial you have stood by my side.

You have been with me through every joyful moment and every sorrow, and I know you are with me still.

Thank you for shepherding me through another year of life.

As I enter into a new year, remind me that my identity is not found in achievement, status, or perfect plans, but in belonging to you.

Blessed be the name of the Lord both now and forever.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thanksgiving and Praise Exercise

You’ve made it! The year is drawing to a close so pause and spend a few moments looking back on the experience you’ve had with Star of Wonder.

Many people measure things they do by what they have accomplished, but for now focus instead on who you have become. Thank God for what has happened within you during the course of these six days and also however you have grown within the last year.

Who has God helped you to become?

Complete these phrases:

Lord, thank you for helping me become more __________.

Lord, thank you for teaching me___________.

Complete these phrases as many times as you would like.

Now pause and offer God praise.

God, you are _____________.

Complete this phrase as many times as you would like.

Pathway Light

“Purpose”

When that ball drops in Times Square, there can be a lot of pressure to reinvent ourselves. Your social media feeds will be flooded with ways to become a new version of you. More fit. More productive. More beautiful. More successful.

Hopefully by now you know that God is calling you to something different. We’re not being asked to become someone else. God is inviting us to be intentionally ourselves.

In John’s Gospel we hear that Jesus is the Eternal Word through whom all things were made.

That includes you. You are not an accident. You are not a random collection of experiences, strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures.

You were spoken into existence by the God who created the stars. Talk about wonder.

Knowing these things about ourselves leads us to a crucial truth. Our purpose is not something that we invent, it’s something that we discover. It’s revealed to us when we follow our shepherd. So, listen to his voice and resist the urge to place your hopes in goals alone. Place your hope in the one who is already leading you.

A light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Scripture Encounter

Ezekiel 34:11-16

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I will lead them out from among the peoples
and gather them from the foreign lands;
I will bring them back to their own country
and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel
in the land’s ravines and all its inhabited places.
In good pastures will I pasture them,
and on the mountain heights of Israel
shall be their grazing ground.
There they shall lie down on good grazing ground,
and in rich pastures shall they be pastured
on the mountains of Israel.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.

Psalm 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.

R.    The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.

R.    The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

R.    The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

R.    The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word,
    and the Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
    and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
    and this life was the light of the human race;
    the light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness has not overcome it.

Spiritual Reflection

It’s New Year’s Eve and chances are that you’ve seen some shows or videos that are wrapping up the year; the most popular songs, the top news stories, the most viral online videos. In reflecting on any of those things people try to tap into the currents of the culture and draw out themes and meaning.

Star of Wonder, too, is drawing to a close. For six days we have reflected on hope, belonging, compassion, clarity, and renewal. What might we find if we were to discern a stream that has flowed through these sessions?

God has been pursuing us all along.

In Ezekiel, God promises:

“I myself will look after and tend my sheep.”

God is not waiting or passive. God has not outsourced us to the culture or left us to fend for ourselves. God’s pursuit of us is inevitable. We are going to wander, and when we do, God seeks us. None of us get out of this life unscathed. We will be wounded, and when we are, God binds us up. God seeks us.

Psalm 23 paints the same picture. The shepherd does not eliminate valleys. There is no waving of magic wands that take all the painful experiences away. The shepherd walks or even carries us through them. Many of us enter the new year with the burden of uncertainty. Anxiety rises because we’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop. We can never know what waits just around the corner.

Here’s something we do know:

Jesus goes ahead of us.

Pause now and imagine yourself standing at the threshold of a new year.

Behind you is everything you have experienced. Ahead of you is a road you cannot yet see. Now picture Jesus standing beside you.

Listen quietly.

What is he saying to you? What would it look like to follow him with trust one day at a time?

Wellness Practice

Speaking about waiting for the other shoe to drop, some of you have probably been waiting for the “New Years Resolution” section of this experience. Don’t worry. We’re not making a list of resolutions. Instead, Star of Wonder is more like a framework that helps us stay connected to God while being attentive to our wellbeing. It’s like a trellis that supports the healthy growth of a beautiful vine.

So, while a resolution forming activity might ask, “What do I want to accomplish this year?” We ask instead, “Who do I want to become with God’s help?”

Let’s look at just 5 areas:

Prayer, Relationships, Rest, Service, Growth

Feel free to jot down some thoughts as we go along if you’re a pen and paper type of person or open up a new doc on your device if that’s what floats your boat. Write down whatever comes to mind for you or look for inspiration from the idea prompts for each area.

Prayer:

How will I intentionally make space for God?

Ideas:

  • Is there anything in my routine or living space that would make it easier for me to pray each day?
  • Do I know any churches or chapels that are open and easy to drop into?
  • Can I incorporate some new things into my viewing and reading rotation?

Relationships:

How will I strengthen belonging and connection?

Ideas:

  • Is there something I can proactively do with my calendars or reminders to prompt me make call with a loved one
  • Are there ways that you can facilitate regular meals with friends and loved ones?
  • How might you remember and reach out to someone who is isolated?

Rest:

How will I practice renewal?

Ideas:

  • Can you protect one evening each week for rest?
  • How might you reorder your routine to reduce screen time before bed?
  • Can I intentionally shift some of my time outdoors?

Service:

How will I share God’s love?

Ideas:

  • Are there ministries or organizations you really admire? Try volunteering with them.
  • Consider different ways you could support someone who is struggling.
  • What are fun ways to practice small acts of kindness each day?

Growth:

How will I continue becoming who God created me to be?

Ideas:

  • Is there a spiritual book I’ve been interested in that I could read?
  • Have I been curious about seeking mentoring or counseling support?
  • Is there a new skill you’d be interested in learning?

Remember, the rhythm of your life for the upcoming year should be simple. The goal is not perfection, it’s incremental growth and faithfulness.

Reflection Questions

Looking back over these six days, where have I most clearly encountered the light of Christ in my life?

Which pathway light—Hope, Belonging, Compassion, Clarity, Renewal, or Purpose—do I most need to carry with me into the new year, and why?

What have I discovered about my identity as a beloved child of God that I do not want to forget?

What is one small, faithful practice I feel called to continue that will help me remain renewed?

As I stand at the threshold of a new year, what invitation do I sense God extending to me, and how will I respond?

Review and Prayer

Over these past six days, we have followed the Star of Wonder through the quiet days of Christmas. Together we have reflected on hope in difficulty, belonging in relationship, compassion for ourselves and others, clarity amid life’s distractions, renewal through authentic rest, and purpose rooted in God’s enduring love.

The journey now comes to an end, but the invitation continues.

The light that guided the shepherds and wise men did not disappear when they reached their destination. It changed them and accompanied them as they returned home by a different way. So it is with us. We leave this experience not as people who have solved every problem or perfected every habit, but as people who have spent time in the presence of Christ.

As a new year begins, remember what you have discovered:

You are known.

You are loved.

You belong.

Your life has purpose.

God walks beside you in every season.

May the practices of gratitude, prayer, rest, reflection, and compassionate service continue to illuminate your path. When the year ahead brings unexpected joys, receive them with thanksgiving. When it brings challenges, remember that the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

Walk forward with confidence. The Shepherd goes before you. The Star still shines. Jesus is with you.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord Jesus, Star of Wonder and Light of the World,

Thank you for walking with me through these days of renewal. Remind me that I am loved, that I belong to you, and that your light goes before me.

As I enter this new year, fill me with hope, grant me peace, and help me follow you faithfully each day.

I place the year ahead into your hands, trusting in your love and guidance.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.