Many write about how 2013 will be the best year ever. This confuses me. I wonder if they actually think that magically everything will be amazing. That death, disease, hunger, need, pain, loss, angst, depression...that they will all just go away because it's Tuesday. Oh I mean...Jan 1, 2013.
Now I understand if you have some incredible plans for this year and you're pumped. I know many getting married this year, others starting new jobs, having kids, etc. That I get. I'm not annoyed with you. But no matter where you're at on this thing, this next part is still something you should check out.
Jesus had a brother. Did you know that? Actually he had many. But one of them, James, became a big deal in the early church. Like the biggest deal. And he wrote a letter that became a book of the Bible. In it he says this...
Come now, you who say,
"Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town
and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" -
yet you do now know what tomorrow will bring.
What is your life? For you a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."
So what do we do? I don't want to be down on 2013. But I don't want to be blind now and disappointed later. Well, here's my big thought.
Rather than claiming how awesome this year is going to be, and then crossing your fingers, decide to make one resolution. Put God first. Do it. Go to a great church. Find people who walk with Jesus. No really, I'm serious! I guarantee...no doubt in my mind...if you do this, your year will be better than any of your statuses have ever thought :).
Now this resolution isn't for everyone, because some of you have already done this. But if you haven't, give it a shot. And if you don't know the gospel, which is how you can even do this in the first place, click here and check it out.
Because then no matter what happens in 2013, good or bad, planned or unplanned, you'll have a Father who is holding you through it all. And that will lead to the best year you've ever had.
Hi, Brian!
ReplyDeleteResolutions bug me :). I get it, that the beginning of a new year gives us a fresh, start-over-ish kind of feeling that lends itself to making goals and improving ourselves. But improvements shouldn't be based on how we feel. Because inevitably that feeling fades, taking our good intentions with it. I'm crawling my way through Romans right now, and at the end of chapter 7, Paul rejoices in having victory through Jesus while acknowledging that the struggle remains. True change can't happen through our own power, on January 1st or any other day of the year. It can only happen through Christ.
Great post. Congrats on your new blog! And pinch your wife for me ;).