Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
It’s a New Year.
Our culture tends to focus on New Year as a time to resolve to make major changes or goals for the year ahead. We often find ourselves planning, making lists and deciding what we will do differently this year.
For some of you 2008 was a year of great joy and success, for others it was a year of much sorrow and grief; but for most of us it was somewhere in the middle.
The new year is a perfect time to look at the successes and failures of the year past, learning from them and looking forward to the coming year with a new perspective and fresh goals.
I love the new year, feeling like we’re starting fresh. I’m so thankful that in Christ, we are always a new creation. We are able to take all of our cares, successes, joys and even failures before Christ who can take care of them and make us new!
So as you are considering the new year and any goals you may have, I encourage you to give it all to God. Make a list of 2008 … the good and the bad. Then ask Christ what He would have you do in the year to come. It’s a different way to think about how to face your list of New Year’s Resolutions, but I believe that it is much more effective.
I wish you all the best and Christ’s abundant blessings in 2009.
Such a great reminder, Shera! THanks!
Yes, Shera, I agree with what you’ve suggested we do. Thanks for sharing what you plan to do!
Had planned, already, to make a list of answers to prayer, that God did for my family & me, in 2008.
Will make a list of miracles God did, for our family, financially, and … enabling us to do things that others needed, but which were not ‘planned’ beforehand (we were just ‘called on’ to do something, and God made a way for us to do it), and … providing for clothing needs (especially as our young people continue to eat, which does tend to cause them to continue to grow, we’ve noticed) and transportation needs and provisions needs, etc.
And I like your suggestion for “giving it all to God.” We’ve prayed that, in the morning, often, giving Him the day, asking Him to enable us to do things according to His Will, by His Grace, and then leaving it with Him, to fulfill that, in us and through us. Though we may be “tested” during the day, as we keep laying our burdens at His Feet, asking Him to fight those battles for us, we see He is faithful, able, merciful and He shows Himself strong on our behalf. He just wants us to trust & obey, humble ourselves before Him & resist the devil, so he will flee from us. And he does! The enemy is defeated! And we are “seated together” with Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) “in heavenly places!”
Will also make a list of lessons God is teaching me, that He began or continued in 2008. And hope to list things He has completed (in my soul), letting me graduate from grade 3, in His Sanctification Academy of Life-Lesson-Learning. (SALLL)
And Shera, thanks for reminding us to “ask Messiah (Christ) what He would have us do” in the coming 12 months. I like to think of it as asking The Lord of my Life “how” He wants me to effectively, profitably (for Him) use the coming 12 waking hours (besides about 8 asleep), per day, plus 4 hours “home tutoring (as I do),” multiplied by the number of teaching days for my school-calendar year. (in my case, it averages about 200, though “the law” does not require that much)
Though I still make plenty of mistakes, He is still developing within me the character of Christ (my Lord & Savior)! He never gives up on me! He loves me with an everlasting Love! (and you, too, of course!)
As I “yield my rights & expectations” to my King, Master (Lord), Deliverer, and Defender, He shows me He takes that humility (lining up my life under / behind Him / His plans) & meekness (choosing to let my strength be under His control), and gives me “riches & honor & Life.” (as in Proverbs 22: 4) The fear of The Lord is the beginning of Wisdom: and the knowledge of The Holy is Understanding. (Proverbs 9: 10)
As you say, Shera, “it is much more effective.” — ! Amen, Shera!
~ Kathy A. in TN ~
I would like to say that in 2009, I am going to lay it all in His hands. I looked up this passage today after a sister told me about a medical concern and said she wasn’t going to worry about it and let it ruin today….Pray for Ginny. Carol
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, or what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For your heavenly Father knows what you need. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.†Matthew 6:25-34