January 1, 2026
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
The new year kicks off with a fresh calendar, a clean slate, and endless opportunities. I always find there is a unique buzz in the air as we make plans, maybe set resolutions or promises, dream a little bigger, and step into January full of hope.
But if we’re honest, that energy doesn’t always last. By the time we approach the end of the month, many of our resolutions feel heavy, our goals feel distant, and our enthusiasm starts to fade. That’s part of being human, I believe.
There’s something deep within us that longs for “more.” More growth, more achievement, more progress, more improvement. Of course, some of that is shaped by our culture, always pushing us to do and be more. But some of this longing is simply the way our Creator made us, with desire, with longing, with a sense that we are meant for something beyond where we are now.
In today’s psalm, the writer is very honest about his desire too, but it’s focused in a very different direction. Putting aside all other pursuits, he focuses his heart on one deep, burning desire: to be with the Lord. What the Psalmist is declaring, is about making God the home of his heart, the place he returns to again and again throughout each day.
He describes this desire in three ways:
To dwell with God, To live in God’s presence, not just seek to enjoy God's presence occasionally.
To see God To behold God’s beauty, character, and goodness. This isn’t just about information about God, but a deep, personal awareness of who God is.
To seek God To actively pursue God, through prayer, worship, Scripture, silence, and obedience. Seeking isn’t passive, it’s purposeful, steady, and built on connection. (relationship)
As we step into this new year, we can still set goals, make plans, and dream dreams. But what if, beneath and above all of that, we asked God to give us one primary desire: to be with Him?
What might change if our greatest ambition this year wasn’t to accomplish more, but to know God more fully?
How might it reshape the way we handle success and failure?
How might it steady us when plans fall apart or expectations aren’t met?
What quiet blessings might we begin to notice when our hearts are turned toward God first?
Over the next few days, give yourself unhurried, honest space to sit with these questions. Ask God to realign your desires, bringing your scattered longings into one central focus: to dwell with Him, to see Him, and to seek Him in the year ahead.
To see God To behold God’s beauty, character, and goodness. This isn’t just about information about God, but a deep, personal awareness of who God is.
To seek God To actively pursue God, through prayer, worship, Scripture, silence, and obedience. Seeking isn’t passive, it’s purposeful, steady, and built on connection. (relationship)
As we step into this new year, we can still set goals, make plans, and dream dreams. But what if, beneath and above all of that, we asked God to give us one primary desire: to be with Him?
What might change if our greatest ambition this year wasn’t to accomplish more, but to know God more fully?
How might it reshape the way we handle success and failure?
How might it steady us when plans fall apart or expectations aren’t met?
What quiet blessings might we begin to notice when our hearts are turned toward God first?
Over the next few days, give yourself unhurried, honest space to sit with these questions. Ask God to realign your desires, bringing your scattered longings into one central focus: to dwell with Him, to see Him, and to seek Him in the year ahead.
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