New Year's Eve

This is an exciting day! We are pausing to be thankful for the year God has given us. Through the mountains and valleys God was always there for us. Just as he will be in 2020. It seems that as we begin a new year we are always excited about what the year may bring. Many of us will make resolutions. Some will keep them and others will abandon them quickly. Whether you make resolutions or not, it is important to begin this year seeking God’s will.

Burk Parsons says this about New Year’s resolutions, “We cannot resolve to do anything with a presumptuous attitude before God. The whole matter of making resolutions is not just goal setting so that we might have happier lives. We are called by God to live according to His will…for it is not unto us but unto Him that all glory belongs.” (Psalms 115:1)

It doesn’t matter if we are making a resolution or seeking God’s will for our life. We can’t do either one without acknowledging our dependence on Him. Many times, our resolutions fail because we try to complete them with our own strength instead of relying on God’s help. Billy Graham answered a question one time saying, “We are spiritually and morally weak, and we will never be the people God wants us to be unless we turn to Him for the help we need.”

I believe New Year’s Resolutions are a good thing. It means we have spent time examining ourselves for areas in need of improvement. It means we realize we aren’t all that we can be. It also means we are willing to do what it takes to move forward. God doesn’t ask us to make New Year’s Resolutions, but he does ask that we examine our lives on a regular basis. God wants us to strive to be like Him and be a better person every day.

The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:6

Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40

As you celebrate tonight with friends and family the coming of a new year, don’t forget to seek God’s will and help for your life. 2018 will bring many happy times and memories but it will also bring sadness and frustration. Don’t spend a day of 2020 without God’s direction. Seek His guidance for 2020 and any resolutions you may make. Add to your resolution list the desire to grow closer to Christ with each passing day. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11) with the help of the Holy Spirit. Pursue God’s will, seek His help and rely on His strength.

Pastor Julia Scott