January 1, 2006Each of us looks forward to yet another New Year; a chance for change, to resolve old habits through new promises in hopes of making this New Year better than the last. Did you ever stop to think if your promises where aligned in "The Plan of God" for your life.
Many of us just worry about making it through another day; fighting the next traffic jam that always seems to confront us when we are late for work, or missed meeting that should have been modified from the very beginning. Promises to do better in the year to come -- we can't even get past the major promises of loose weight, read God's Word more, or even have some quiet time with Him. Making new promises that include His plan for our life certainly sounds like a promise that will fail before it starts. But why is that? (Psalm 40:8 - "I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.")
Wanting to get right with Him should be our top priority, but normally it is farest thought from our daily tasks. Isn't it important to know that what we are doing is aligned with what He wants for us? Then why don't we take time to really make the change when given a chance? God must certainly understand our need to make intelligent decisions about very practical concerns, so why doesn't He help to get our personal life arranged to align with His will? He wants us to keep the big picture in mind and concentrate on our relationship with Him, but He is also a God of the details. So how can be balance our day to include Him? If you can honestly answer that question, you could make a promise that may work in 2006 and beyond.
Paul wrote - "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:9-14)
As we begin 2006, promise what you know you have the ability to complete...God will honor it. As to the rest..ask Him for strength and let Him supply it. If you really think about it...if we could do it on our own...we wouldn't give Him the credit; therefore, depend on Him for the strength to move forward. Happy New Year...
