Morning Devotional

February 29, 2004

"Leap Year" 

by Don Emmitte

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For sure, I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to over there,” and it would move over. You will be able to do anything. (Matthew 17:19-20 NLT).

The Gregorian calendar today serves as an international standard for civil use. In addition, it regulates the ceremonial cycle of the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. In fact, its original purpose was ecclesiastical. Although a variety of other calendars are in use today, they are restricted to particular religions or cultures. In the Gregorian calendar years are counted from the initial epoch defined by Dionysius Exiguus, and are divided into two classes: common years and leap years. A common year is 365 days in length; a leap year is 366 days, with an intercalary day, designated February 29, preceding March 1. Leap years are determined according to the following rule: “Every year that is exactly divisible by 4 is a leap year, except for years that are exactly divisible by 100; these centurial years are leap years only if they are exactly divisible by 400.” Therefore this year is a leap year!

Knowing all of that made me wonder “so what”? I guess it does give us an “extra” day, but what difference does it really make. In fact, if we were marooned on a deserted island as in The Castaway we would probably be marking the days by scratching a mark in the side of a cave! It would appear as just another cycle of light and dark. Following that thought I began to think of making a difference in my days.

Most of us need a nudge, a reason, or a motivating push to do something different. Most of us don’t like change; at least not change in important things. So we become settled and play things close to the vest. We don’t take chances. We get where we don’t even do anything exciting. We fall into our rut without realizing the old cliché is true: “A rut is just a grave with the ends kicked out of it.” I can’t answer what that leap of faith will be for you. That’s for you to figure out with the help of the Holy Spirit. But, I’m absolutely convinced that if you will ask, he will show you what your leap is. You’re going to have to listen to hear his answer! That means listening in church when the Word is preached, when your brothers and sisters sing and speak to you, and when ministries offer you a chance to serve. But, if you listen, you’ll find out where to leap!

There are many examples of such leaps in the Scripture: Abram, Esther, Joseph (the one in Egypt, married to Mary, or from Arimathea, just take your pick), Mary Magdalene, Paul, Timothy, or a host of others who heard the call of God and made huge changes in their lives, at all different ages in their journey. So, let this be a real leap year for you, too! Quit putting off fulfilling that commitment to the Lord.  Take a leap!