New Year’s Resolutions
January 4th, 2007Well it’s only January 4th and a few of my resolutions are already broken. In the past I’ve been able to keep some resolutions going all year long, but to be honest some days I had to play catch-up–like when you decide to read the Bible through in a year and end up doing two days worth of readings in one day. As I was contemplating my false start this year the words of the hymn came to mind:
Father, let me dedicate all this year to you,
In whate’er my earthly state, In what e’er I do.
Not from sorrow, pain, or care freedom dare I claim;
This alone shall be my prayer: Glorify your name.
Christian Worship #75
What struck me about this hymn, and notice that I am deliberately using hymn and not “God’s Word,” were two things that are key our personal growth. First we must accept that growth isn’t pain free, when we claim freedom from pain we never grow. And secondly the great inward cry that should mark our days: Glorify your name. My goal this year is to re-orient my thinking around this theme–Glorify your name.
How does this tie into false starts and New Year’s resolutions? How did Jesus start his ministry, what was one of the first things he preached? Matthew 4:17 says:
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Daily repentance and living in our baptismal grace is a key part of the life of the believer. False starts and repentance all remind us of our deep need for a savior. Hmm… That sounds like instead of me it’s God. This alone shall be my prayer: Glorify your name.
