12-29-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
December 29, 2023
In just a few days, our lives will forever change. We will make dramatic resolutions that will shift the trajectory of our individual lives, and then we’ll see the world change around us. And a day or two later, most of us will find ourselves slipping back into our old habits and long-held practices. Ok, some of you are thinking that I’m being a bit too pessimistic, and I hope you are right. But studies show that New Year's Resolutions are a significant challenge. 25% of resolutions are forgotten within one week of the new year, and less than 10% are still committed 60 days into the new year. It is tough, but I believe Psalm 37 offers something for us to ponder. It says, “Commit your way to the Lord! Trust in the Lord, and know that God will act…” Instead of waiting for January 1st, I encourage people to begin with small things on any day of the year. At the same time, choose goals that help you become the person you believe God created you to be, and I believe that when they align with God’s hope for our lives, then God will help us make a way. So maybe in the days ahead, spend some time pondering what change in your life God might be suggesting. I started this prayerful thought a few days ago, and though it is only a coincidence that it is occurring around New Year's, it is a prayerful question I have asked myself many times over the years. I don’t want to pretend that it’s brought dramatic change each time, but I have noticed shifts in my life that I believe honored the ways of God and, in some small ways, helped me to live a little more in the ways of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, provide me with an awareness of where some change might be needed in my life, and I believe you will help me every step of the way, loving me when I succeed and when I falter. With that kind of grace, I know change can happen. Amen.