This time of year, we hear so much being said about resolutions. Almost everyone makes some sort of New Year’s resolution and probably almost all of those are broken shortly thereafter! We forget about what we resolved to do, and we’re tempted to do things that are contrary to our determination to do something in particular. Alice and I made a New Year’s resolution to not let a day go by that we don’t take time to pray and read the Bible together. Of course, we pray together every day anyway, and more often than not, we study the Bible together. So our resolve was not something totally different from our previous way of life, but now, we want to make sure that, no matter what, we share a time of study, discussion and prayer together.
The definition of “resolution” in the context we are using is “to resolve” or “to determine.” In teaching the Corinthian brethren, Paul said, “The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Whatever the world has to offer can’t be compared to the wisdom and strength that faithful Christians can find in the Lord. Paul went on to say, “I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul recognized that His strength came from God, and he resolved that, no matter what, he would continue to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Was Paul’s resolution broken? NO! Paul went through more than what any human being ought to have to suffer and he did it willingly for Christ! Listen as he says:
In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often; of the Jews, five times I received forty stripes save one; Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck, I spent a day and a night in the deep; in journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea and among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often and in cold and nakedness. And besides all those things that are without that come upon me daily, the care for all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:23ff)
So you think you’ve got problems? Most of us don’t even know what real problems are! After meeting the Lord, Paul never looked back and never faltered in his resolve to serve his Master.
We must be like-minded. We must resolve to serve God, no matter what! Jesus taught, “You shall love God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” (Mark 12:30). Paul told the Ephesian brethren that “for this cause I bow my knees to the Father… that He would grant you… to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:14ff). When we faithfully serve God, we are promised that “the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When we resolve to put God first and serve Him faithfully, we will have the strength we need.
An old saying is “promises are made to be broken”; that’s only true because we do tend to easily and quickly break them. My prayer is that you resolve at the beginning of the year (or even now) to render greater service to God in this New Year that you’ve been granted. You can resolve from this day forward that you will serve the Lord better than before. Time is running out for all of us, and we absolutely must make the most of the days that we have left. We sing a song in which we say, “I am resolved to follow the Savior, faithful and true each day; heed what he sayeth; do what He willeth, He is the living way.” Are you resolved?
