The winding down of one or the beginning of another…

Now that Christmas is over our focus has changed and is now zeroing in on the New Year that is closing in on us.  With each New Year we become more aware of the great responsibility that they bring with them.  This is a realization that bears upon us as we mature in Christ.  Along with the realization of the New Year comes a stark reality of the responsibility we have here as a child of God, an understanding that each day is important.  As we all know, at this time of year many people are busy planning and out their New Year's resolutions getting ready to make promises that they cannot keep will not keep or even try to keep.  It is sad that we wait for one day of the year to do so when it should be our practice every day of the year.  Many of the New Year’s resolutions that will be made may last weeks some will last days, most will only make it a few hours.  I know of a person who made a resolution and broke it 13 seconds later.  What we need to do instead of making a New Year’s resolution, we should make New Years revolutions for and regarding Christ.  To be what He wants us to be.  To act as He would have us to act.  In other words, we are to act and live our lives Christ-like.  People should be able to see him in us, they should desire that which is within us.

Instead of making a New Year’s resolution why not do something significant for Christ.  Why not make a New Years Commitment to Him.  What if God’s people decided to take the time this New Year’s Day to rededicate their hearts and minds to Him?  Why not take a moment to re-commit your heart and life to love, honor and be all for Christ as He would have us to be?  We just went through a holiday that celebrated His birth.  The season that began with a holiday celebration of His physical commitment to us; a commitment to come and walk among us, to live with us and to ultimately be a sacrifice for us.  This then leads us to the end of the year with many planning for the New Year.

Too often we find ourselves quickly turning form the joyous celebration of the birth of Christ and reverting back to our selfish ways or toward selfish desires. Our failures at resolutions are just that, they are “our failures.” We want to do or not do, we want to have or not have or we want be like or unlike. All in all they are “Our” wishes, they are “Our” desires and they are all based on “Our” selfishnesses. We cannot serve Christ in our selfishness. Getting back to the root of the majority of many New Year’s resolutions is a selfish boasting on our part.

 

The Bible reminds us in James 4:13- 16, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; (14) whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  (15) Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ (16) But now you boast in your arrogance.  All such boasting is evil.”

 

If we really believe what the Scripture says here then should we not want to commit or recommit out hearts and minds to Him?  Instead of making a resolution that we know will not last, why not make a commitment to Him, to re-dedicate our life to Him and allow the help of the Holy Spirit to encourage you though out the year to keep our promise to Him as He has kept His promises to us?

 

If the Scriptures are right (and I do believe that they are) then life is a vapor and is destined to pass away and at best quicker than we expect it to.  Why not re-surrender your heart, soul and mind to the Lord Jesus.  Why not make this year the Year of the Lord for all in your life to bear witness too.