There is something refreshing about starting a New Year. It’s a time to take stock of our lives and chart a course for better living. Good Day Atlanta reported that 45 percent of Americans make New Year resolutions, but only eight percent keep them (Good Day Atlanta, Jan. 1, 2016).
We’re two weeks into 2016. How are you doing with yours? Have you made any firm decisions to do or not do something?
Dave Beard said, “Many years ago I resolved never to bother with New Year’s resolutions, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.”
Edith Lovejoy Pierce said, “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
Henry Ward Beecher said, “Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page … on the first of January, let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”
Mark Twain said, “Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.”
Good intentions only go so far, don’t they? The firm decisions made on January 1 must still mean something on January 13th and beyond, but follow-through takes willpower, discipline and commitment.
Jim Henry told about the marriage ceremony in which the bride and groom were exchanging vows, and the minister asked the bride if she would love, honor and obey.
Obviously, they didn’t talk about the wording of the vows in advance, because she reacted, “Do you think I’m crazy?”
The nervous groom obviously was in another zone when he, at that moment, answered, “I do.”
He meant well, but his timing was a little off. As we think about the New Year, we’ve been given a gift of 12 new months, 52 new weeks, 366 new days, 8,784 new hours, and roughly 527,000 new minutes, every one of them a gift from God.
That’s exciting, isn’t it? A new year presents new possibilities and new opportunities. A new year is a strategic starting point in fine tuning our relationship with the Lord, and a critical launching point in making new commitments to the Lord and to one another.
Great people in the Bible made resolutions.
For example, Daniel resolved not to eat the king’s food, which would defile him (Daniel 1:8).
The Prodigal Son in Jesus’ parable recorded in Luke 15 had an awakening when he finally hit rock bottom and said, “I will arise and go to my father … ” (Luke 15:18)
Joshua gathered the nation of Israel at Shechem and declared, “ … choose you this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).
What is your direction for 2016? What bad habits do you need to drop, what bad memories do you need to leave behind, and where do you need to improve to be a stronger you? What steps do you need to take that will help you draw closer to God?
I am the new year.
I am an unspoiled page in your book of time. I am your next chance at the art of living.
I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.
All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it out with more determination.
All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.
All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have — these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.
I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, ‘behold, I make all things new.’
I am the new year.
Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Georgia. The church meets at 352 McDonough Road, just past the department of drivers’ services building, and invites you to join them this Sunday for Bible study at 9:45 and worship at 10:55 a.m. Visit them on the web at www.mcdonoughroad.org and like them on Facebook.
