January 3rd, 2008
New Year’s Resolutions
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
I must say, we had a wonderful week of Christmas, family, friends and then New Years. On New Year’s Eve Day we traveled down to Tim’s brother’s home in Pennsylvania to celebrate “Thurber Christmas” as well as to stay up until midnight bringing in the New Year. Eating, talking, and playing the traditional “Guesstures” game (if you haven’t played it, let me know and we’ll plan a party – it is hilarious), we filled the evening until the ball dropped on Times Square. We officially hailed in 2008.
The next morning I woke up and realized I hadn’t made any New Year’s resolutions. Now, honestly, I don’t usually make them because generally I don’t succeed, and who needs that much failure? However, I began thinking, if I were to make some resolutions, what would they be? After including the annual decisions to “lose weight, get in shape, be nicer, spend more time with my kids…” I thought about those goals. Does God care about those goals? The next question that popped into my mind is one I have pondered ever since that morning.
If God were to set “New Year’s Resolutions”, what would they be? What does God really care about in this world? Now, before anyone gets all huffy, I realize God has ultimate control, so we can’t take this analogy too far. If God really had a resolution, he would and could carry it out. I guess the real question I’ve been asking is, “What would God’s goals look like for my life, my family, the church, the town, the nation….” I think they would look very different from my goals.
Well, I have pondered this question, and I won’t tell you all of my thoughts, because I want you to ponder it too. What goals did you set for yourself? Are they goals that God cares about or that our culture has thrust upon you?
For me, I came back to the greatest commandment, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and to love others as yourself.” I don’t claim to know how to do this, but my goal this year will be to learn more how to love God. To grow in knowledge about him, to appreciate him, to spend more time with him. And then to love others, to strive for peace, to serve others joyfully.
I know I won’t accomplish nearly as much as I would desire for these goals, but that is my goal for the year. I’m praying God will teach me how to accomplish these purposes. I’ll be praying for you as well as you determine your goals for the year.