I have never heard of anyone making a resolution to be converted to Jesus Christ. In fact I have never heard of anyone resolving to feed the hungry or heal the sick. Usually what I hear is focussed on “low fat diet” or to stay “off the drink”. Our resolutions tend to have a self-centered aspect! The good intentions of 1st January usually end up in tatters by 1st February. Even on those occasions where we seriously intend to keep our resolution we find that “old habits die hard” and we are forced to join the others and make a joke of our efforts to mask the disappointment. When it comes to following Jesus many of us have been led down the religious route where church baptism provides an entry point to the church and subsequent renewal of these vows at a later date are said to establish one in membership of the church. Others use a similar formulae involving presumptive regeneration of the child in anticipation of a confession of faith coming from the adolescent when he or she comes to an age of understanding. The Bible steers clear of these procedures and simply says we must be born from above if we are to enter God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world convicting people of sin and revealing the remedy in Christ. He works on our hearts and minds inclining our wills so that instead of living for self we are to live for Christ. We are given a different direction with a different Master to whom we are now accountable. This conversion is simply the name given to turning away from the old life and entering into the new with Jesus. So what part do I play, should I have this change in mind, for my New Year’s resolution? Jesus just says “ask” so we begin with prayer. He then says we are to trust in himself. The living God will confirm it to you and speak to you through his word. There will be a whole new way of looking at things that differs radically from the past. May I encourage you to go with Jesus Christ into 2009? He will equip you for a life that will glorify God both here and in the hereafter.
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