And so it that the calendar has (finally!) flipped and we have begun a brand new year. Last year, 2018 - with its mix of joys and sorrows, goals met and goals missed, friendships gained and friendships lost- is behind us.
For so many New Year's is just another holiday. For other's, it's a time of deep reflection, both on the past year and on the one ahead. For follower's of Jesus, it has no unique significance. There's no central biblical narrative informing our celebrations.
But this doesn't mean Christians shouldn't pause and reflect on the turning of the calendar. Moses asked of the Lord, "Teach us to number our days, so we may get a heart of wisdom" (Ps.90:12). Time-seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years-is a gift to us from a good God. To wisely follow Him, then is to redeem our time (Eph.5:16).
New Year's can also remind us of the new birth. In a sense, each day with Jesus is a chance to turn the page on an old way of life and embrace a new one. But before we write out our goals, we should begin in the heart. The temptation for Christians is to make out plan and add a dollop of Jesus on top, rather than allowing Him to form in us the desires and motivations to do His work.
So whether or not we're making concrete goals or more abstract ones, whether we're writing down resolutions or foregoing them altogether, here are some important things to think of as we peer into 2018.
1. Remember
A wise man of Ecclesiastes said, " Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near to which you will say, 'I have no pleasure in them'" (Eccl. 12:1). As Christians we know the fragility of human life. We know that every breath is a miracle, a gift given to us by our Creator.
In a cursed and tumultuous world, creation itself reminds of God's great faithfulness. Every new season is a testimony, a signpost, to grace. So the proper response to the past year, whether good or bad, is not "I made it through" or "Look what I achieved." It is "Thank you, Lord."
2. Repent
How can we begin new plans and journeys in 2019 without first allowing His light to penetrate the darkness of our hearts and to reveal areas in need of growth? How can we start hustling and working and dreaming without first renewing our joy in the One who directs our steps?
3. Renew
New Year's should also be a time of renewing old commitments, like marriage, family, and church. Before we begin those grand plans of losing weight or developing a new skill-begin by renewing the core commitments we already have.
4. Rest
First, we rest in the reality of our identity in Christ. We may have failed to meet our heady goals in 2018. Jesus still loves us, despite our failures, unchecked boxes, and disappointment at the scale. The gospel tells us that He loves us in the midst of these.
It's not the voice of your Savior, but the whisper of the enemy that says you have less worth because you blew your resolutions. A "more successful 2019" will not make Jesus love you any more. He's the One, after all, who calls broken sinners and empowers them for his mission. Failed apostles, former persecutors, recovering Pharisees-his body is full of them.
So as we make our plans for 2019, Let's remember that even in our failures, we serve the One who remembers our frame and know we are dust (Ps. 103:14). We make plans, but we hold them lightly. We entrust our future not to Google Calendar or a reading list, but the the King who holds the world in His hands.
Love,
B
Let's pray:
Father God, We come to you in a time when we feel we need to improve upon ourselves. But in doing so we must remember that you are the one who controls what happens. We need to lean on you to help us understand your plans and timing. In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.
