Happy New Year!
The beginning of a new year presents the opportunity to pause and reflect on the year we left while also looking ahead to the new year. For some, as we reflect on the previous year, our attention goes to the things we want to do differently in the new year. For instance, travel more, exercise more, eat healthier, save more, the list goes on. As a result, these things we want to do differently become our resolutions for the new year. The funny thing about resolutions is (most times) we start out excited to fulfill them, and then, (for most) within the first quarter of the year our desire to continue these resolutions wanes. Now there are various reasons why one may lose interest in resolutions soon after making them. One could argue a common thread could be the motivation behind making the resolution to begin with was unsustainable. Are there even resolutions that can be sustainable throughout the year? As Christ followers, a new year presents the opportunity to make resolutions, which are sustainable, transformative, and eternal.
Before we go any further, what does resolution mean anyway? Resolution means, “a promise to yourself to do or to not do something.” Notice resolutions are promises to ourselves only and not to someone else. This means without letting someone else into the resolution, we have no one to keep us accountable to sustain it. Does the mean we should tell someone about our resolutions so they can be sustainable throughout the year? Perhaps.
However, as Christ followers, it is more about who we go to before we even make resolutions. In recent years, there is either a verse or a passage the Lord brings to my attention each January to ponder during the year. This January He brought to mind Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus says,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
As Christ followers, we do not have to build our lives and this new year on sand. Because we belong to the Lord, we can choose to build on Him (the Rock). How do we build our lives and this new year on the Lord? As a preschool teacher, a phrase I often say to my kids is “listen and obey,” when they are not doing what my assistant teacher or I have told them to do. In Matthew 7:24, Jesus laid it out clearly how His disciples can build on Him. It is when we hear His words (listen) and put it in practice (obey). Where do we go to listen to the Lord?
- GOD’S WORD. This is where we learn about the Lord and His commands directly from Him.
- A BIBILICALLY SOUND LOCAL CHURCH. When we hear the teaching of God’s Word, the Lord does use the pastor’s message to bring our attention to things in the Word we may not have noticed.
- COMMUNITY. The Lord uses people in our life to confirm (or remind us of) what He has spoken to us, encourage us, and challenge us to go deeper in our walk with the Lord.
When listen to the Lord, when our lives are built and centered upon God and His Word, it becomes natural to turn first to Him at the start of a new year. In turning to the Lord first, our resolutions shift to what is on His heart. What is on the Lord’s heart?
- HAVING AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH US (Revelation 3:20; James 4:8). Every year we have on this earth is a chance to grow in greater intimacy with the Lord.
- LOVING OTHERS (Mark 12:30-31). The way we love those in our family, our friendships, our workplace, our community, reflects the One we serve.
- THE LOST BECOMING HIS DISCIPLES (Matthew 28:18-20). Each year we have on this earth is time we can use to do our part in making disciples for Jesus.
Allowing the Lord’s heart to be the center of our resolutions will make them sustainable ones throughout the year because they are centered on Him. When we choose to devote each year to seeking greater intimacy with the Lord, He transforms us even more to becoming like Christ. Finally, when we focus on the Lord’s affairs in our resolutions the Lord gives us opportunity to make an eternal impact through how we love others and make disciples for Him.
Reader, what do you say, will you choose to make a different resolution this year?
All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version