It's a new day, a new month and more importantly, a new year. It's exciting and energizing to start off the new year with a clean slate. There are no splotches on the page, no regrets, no apology, no misgiving; nothing to mar the fresh start. We look forward to putting into action all those new year resolutions.
Ah, but if you think for a bit you might actually become discouraged before you begin. After all... where did the last year go and what happened to last year's new resolutions? My last year's resolution lasted until about May, which actually was a record for me. My resolution was to read through the entire Conflict of the Ages series systematically ...and while I haven't given up on reading all the books in order, I long ago gave up on following any kind of schedule. Going by my experience, I bet 99.7% of all new year resolutions last about a week. They are nothing but good intentions; our promises and resolutions are nothing but ropes of sand. Maybe we shouldn't even bother and save ourselves the embarrassment of defeat.
Or should we? I mean, isn't this a wonderful opportunity to look forward and start afresh and deepen your commitment to Christ? Is there any hope that we can carry these new and redoubled commitments and life changing declarations through to the next year?
I believe there is.
"You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak... Your promises are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair! What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The Power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can CHOOSE to serve Him You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.
Desire for goodness and holiness are right as far as they go; but if you stop here, they will avail nothing! Many will be lost while hoping and desiring to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to God. They do not now CHOOSE to be Christians.
Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life. By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with the power that is above all principalities and powers. You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and thus through constant surrender to God you will be enabled to live the new life, even the life of faith." SC 47
Today I CHOOSE to serve Christ and commit my whole new year to His service and I can't think of a better way to say than the way it is said in this song:
I cannot be content with just a part,
of the blessings that You give to fill the heart.
I accept Your invitation to come boldy to the throne;
to claim all that the cross has made my own.
Since Jesus had to pay so high a cost.
Not a fragment of His blessings should be lost.
Lord, let me be the vessel that gathers every part,
of the fullness that is flowing from Your heart.
I want the fullness of the joy of knowing You.
The fullness of Your peace to see me through.
The fullness of Your presence to flow through every part.
And the fullness of salvation in my heart.
Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 1, 2009 at 04:33 - Link
Good job Ange,
I tried to respond to Nessa's blog, but I just manage to write a comment on my own blog. Tell Nessa I will follow her blog if she pursues it further. I'll need your help to establish links to yours and other people's blogs. Dad
