New Year's Resolutions

A New Year...

Actually, I feel it is an artificially created New Year, since nothing is new except the inch of snow that we got overnight. There are no new growths on the plants outside (and won't be until the weather decides to produce some temperatures consistently above the freezing mark!). No births of cattle in the fields, or even new lambs in the barns. Flipping the calendar to a new page really doesn't count, in my book.

But to much of the world, we are starting a new year. The IRS has indicated that my next pay check is going to be part of the 2009 tax year, and in a few weeks I will need to consider what I have to pay for taxes in 2008. Kids are heading back to college in hopes that their next quarters or semesters will be better than the previous (or hoping that they will be able to at least match what they were able to do before the break). And I will have to somehow remember to write "2009" instead of "2008."

But I have to ask myself - what did I learn in 2008 that will change my life in 2009? Is it just another day or week or month or year of the same thing that I have been experiencing all along? I agree with Max Lucado that God will meet us anywhere and come into our lives no matter what condition we are in, but it's not His plan to leave us like that - He wants us to be just like Jesus. But what has changed for me that makes me any more like Jesus than I was a year ago?

I don't know if you believe in making resolutions, but most of the people I meet can't remember what they resolved to do a year ago, much less achieved that goal. As Jesus said to a sleeping Peter, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

The first question (of a person who thinks he is a realist, but has been accused of being a pessimist!) is, "How should this year be any different?" If historically my "resolutions" have been more like "revolutions" - revolving around like a New York hotel door and showing up as "new" every year - what would make this year any different? Why should I even put any effort into making the change? And if I am to "try," what am I supposed to try to do?

I am reminded of the book of Romans. If you have a chance, sit down and read the whole thing from the beginning to the end (it's only 16 chapters long, and in my Bible covers less than 15 pages). Read chapter 6, about how our "old man," that part of us which pulls us away from Christ, can be buried, and how we can be raised to a new life. How, while we were once slaves to sin, we can become slaves to righteousness! Read chapter 7, which reminds us that while we can be controlled at times by the "body of death," our salvation comes from the life of Christ working through us!

Now ask yourself: If Christ has freed you, what are you going to do about it? Can you really say "Praise God" and go about your business? Can I? Is it possible, if I have been given new life, to even have the ability to keep my mouth shut when it comes to sharing my good news with others? If I can keep my mouth shut, do I really have any good news to share?

I want to be able to say, like Paul in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes...."

That's my prayer - my New Year's resolution. Are you interested in joining me and truly making this year a year to remember?

God bless you abundantly!