I'm not big on making new year's resolutions, mostly because my resolve disappears around 2 weeks into the the new year. I don't know where it goes each year...perhaps someplace warmer that Pennsylvania in January...but wherever it goes it's always nowhere near me!
But this time of year always is a time of reflection and looking ahead. And as I spend time reflecting on this past year and thinking about all the resolutions that I should make or want to make for 2017, I do know this, while it would be great if I ate better this year, spent less, exercised more, was more diligent in practicing writing by writing, followed a more consistent schedule, the one thing that I absolutely NEED is to grow in my relationship with Jesus. I have a holy discontent when it comes to this relationship...I want more of Him. I want to know Him more. Grow closer to Him more throughout this year. And how does that happen? Through the daily spiritual disciplines of Bible study and prayer and obedience to His Word.
But even as I type these words "daily spiritual disciplines" I think about my disappearing resolve and the words to an old hymn pops into my head: Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Do you share that feeling with me? How easy it is, even with the love that is in our hearts toward our God, to leave the spiritual disciplines that grow our intimacy with Him to spend time on things less valuable.
So what do we do? We already have established that resolutions rarely work. How about we resolve not to resolve but rather to act. And act one day at a time. So, just for today we -
1. Pray. The hymn goes on with these words: "Here's my heart O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above." So what do we do with our wandering hearts and our wandering attention? Confess, repent, and give it to God. Pray and ask for help!! I love asking my heavenly Father to change my desires so that I desire Him. How much delight the Father will have in answering this kind of prayer and answering it abundantly!
2. Act in faith. One day at a time, we sit down in a quiet corner of our homes, lose all the distractions, and spend time reading and perhaps even journaling in God's Word. the Bible. Act in faith that our heavenly Father will answer those prayers we are praying and let us patiently watch as "duty" turns to delight.
3. Be Accountable. We were made for community and we have greater success when we work together toward a common goal with others. We know this is true when we are working toward a goal of losing weight or exercising more. When we have someone to count calories with and exercise with, it's just much more fun!! This is how God has wired us so let's use that to our advantage. Find a partner or two or three to compare notes with, to hold you accountable, to share what God is showing you about Himself. Share how God is challenging you to repent or grow and have your group hold you accountable to obedience to Him.
4. Radical Obedience. Growing in knowledge of God is great but it will just be intellectual knowledge and not intimacy if we don't obey. Jesus said in John 15 - Abide in my love. You abide in my love if you keep my commandments. That means that what we read in the Bible, it has implications in our every day lives. It's meant to be put into practice: at work, at school, in our marriages, in our parenting, how we interact with our neighbors, in all of our relationships, in every single aspect of our lives, physical, mental, spiritual. There's not a single area of our existence that does not get submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Learning to obey Jesus no matter what the cost...this will deepen our intimacy with Him. How can obedience deepen our intimacy? So often, when are called to obey, everything in us screams NOOOOOOO! It's too hard. It's impossible. And so to obey Him requires us to trust in Him. Sometimes it even requires us to lay down what we think will make us happy because His Word has said no. And more often than not, it makes no sense to us. And yet...as we submit ourselves to Him in obedience, we will see Him work in our lives very personally and intimately in ways we never would see if we continued to do things in our own way. We will see that His Word is true and good. We will see that He is true and good and that He has our ultimate good in mind. Jesus says in John 7:17 - "If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking of my own authority." Did you catch that? Obedience comes before understanding sometimes. He looks us in the eyes when we ask why and says, "Do you trust me?" When we say yes and obey, this is radical obedience...this is radical faith. This brings us intimately closer to Jesus. And we do this one day at a time.
And then at the end of the day, as we lay our head on our pillows to rest in the intimacy of our Savior, we sleep. And when we wake up the next day...we start anew. One beautiful day at a time.
So what do you say? Will you join me this year in resolving not to resolve in 2017 but rather just for today pursue intimacy with Jesus in faith through daily prayer, acting through the study of God's Word, being accountability, and radical obedience? I can't even to begin to imagine the ways in which God will answer our prayers!
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all as you begin this new year!
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