Do you have a resolution for the New Year?

Do you have more than one resolution of some important things you plan to do with your life in 2014? Did you have a list of resolutions for this past year? Did you write any or all of them down?

Most of us resolve to do some things in our life of highest importance. Not an ‘I wish I could do that’ or I wish I could have that,’ but a more pressing resolve to do something important in relation to someone or something important in our own lives.

We do this at other times of the year on occasion. We often take import events in our lives as starting points to resolve to do some important things: a marriage, a birth; starting school or college, beginning a new job or a new business; and sometimes at the realization of a death of someone important in our lives. We resolve to do… and we make a list.

What is on your 2013 list of New Year’s resolutions?

IF you even bothered to write down an important goal or two as resolutions for the year, how did you do?

ü  Gave more time to God

ü  Gave more time to my spouse

ü  Gave more time to my children

ü  Gave more time to my health (lost those ?# of pounds) and exercise daily

ü  Gave some time to my education & career improvement

ü  Gave my absolute best at work

ü  Gave up (???) … (that’s a really long list) all those things I shouldn’t do

OR rather than focusing on the important people in your life, did someone force you to throw out the book and give up on your goals?

• Did you give up on a relationship – a VIP in your life?
• Did you give up on something to do with school or work?
• Perhaps you gave up on your resolutions, promises and vows to many very important people in your life.
• Did you give up on God?

Our resolutions, especially those we make with the best of intentions – our solemn promises and our sacred vows – are just one more reason God must seek us out and sent to us a Shepherd for our brokenness. We are constant sinners and once more we must repent and return to the Lord our God and Christ Jesus, who died for you and for me.

Jesus said, Let you yes be yes and your no be no. Anything more is sin. – Mat. 5:37

You do not intend to break a promise or a resolution, and certainly you do not take your vows and covenant between a man and a woman and God lightly. Repent. For time is short.

• Remember how quickly 2013 slipped away?
• How quickly these past seven years have flown by?

It will be even more quickly that your life of sin apart from God will pass and in an instant you will be raised to the Judgment.

I hereby resolve: Christ Jesus IS Lord. I repent. I forgive. I begin anew in His love.

What does that mean to:

ü  My wife (or husband, if you are a wife reading this)?

ü  My son(s) (grandsons)?

ü  My daughter(s) (granddaughters)?

ü  My mom and my dad (even if they have passed before me)?

ü  My dear friend? My other dear friend? And all my other dear friends?

ü  My brothers and my sisters in Christ?

ü  My brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles: relatives of all kinds?

ü  My own personal well-being in heart and mind and body and soul?

The Commands and Law of God (general as they are):

1. Love God
2. Love one another

God commands us very specifically to relationships of love with our God, our Savior, our family and the family of God, our friends and community and even our enemies.

• Be it resolved to check this out.
• READ your Bible. Hear what the Lord has said. Don’t just take my word for it.

Make it your own list for your own loved ones, my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord, Christ Jesus.

Loved ones,

You are VIP’s in my life and the eyes of God and Christ Jesus.

Love,

Roger

Happy New Year, (as Jesus defines our call to be blessed). 

Makarios (in the year of our Lord) 2014