I love new years. It seems that a new year offers us a chance to start again. While we can do that at any time, it just seems that a new year makes it easier. I guess we could categorize our resolutions to bring a little order to the rush to change. People tend to make resolutions to (1) start things that they are not doing, (2) stop things that they are doing, (but don't want to), (3) do a better job of things that they are already doing but want to improve upon.
Lets take a "for example". You want to start a healthy lifestyle, stop smoking, and spend more time on relationships. This would put a resolution into each category. Of course nothing necessitates us having one in each area or even using categories at all. We are all free to choose to resolve or not to resolve however we individually desire. Yet, there is one common denominator that we all must acknowledge.
Making resolutions is not very difficult, keeping them is another matter. What if you could make one resolution that would empower all the others? Do you remember Popeye the Sailor? He would face task after task, battle after battle and he would always come to the limits of his own ability. But then he would open that wonderful can of spinach. I've often wondered who picked spinach. Was it the Del Monte company who wanted to sell more, or was it a group of mothers who conspired to trick their boys into eating more of the green stuff? Nevertheless, everyone knew that as soon as Popeye got that can open and sucked down that miracle working veg, things would change. Too bad we adults don't have such an option.
Well, we do. Consider the following verse: Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. God makes us two promises regarding what we can do. This is the first and it strengthens us to venture out into the arena of change. We can open a can of power from God. Whatever we should start, stop or improve upon we have the assurance that through Christ we can do it.
So here I am. I've made a resolution to do better. Yet I have come across the same old arch-enemy, (not Brutus but my own fleshly weaknesses), and I'm about to fail again when I look to Christ for the strength to overcome. Better yet, I've learned to look to him before I am beaten down. I realize that my power comes not from my human strength but from my God.
This leads me to the second promise and really the key to the first. Jesus also told us the following: John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Jesus promised us that without Him we could do nothing. So many times we strike out with a new resolve just to crash and burn. We should have known that we would fail without God's help. We should have remembered how much a difference Christ makes in our life. But we forget and we foolishly think we can succeed without Him.
We do well to remember when we first trusted Christ and how our new faith, dependence and submission to our Saviour wrought great power and great change. What happens to us. It's like the pilot whose plane was going down and he couldn't pull the nose up. He cried out to God to deliver him and suddenly the plane miraculously leveled out. With a great sigh of relief the pilot once again takes the controls and says "Thank you God, now I'll take over and fly us on home." Jesus rescued us from hell and delivered us from sin. Why do we think we need Him any less to fly the plane on home?
You see, the key to the power we need is not found in a can or even in a special prayer. Jesus said that we must abide in Him. That's the day to day prayer life; the morning Bible time; the being at church every time the doors open, kind of walk with God. It's that kind of closeness to God that gave us the advantage. It is that kind of power the devil fears the most. That is why he fights so hard to keep you from abiding in Christ. Satan is a master at distracting you from the source of your strength. He gets you tied up in "good things" that take you away from fellowship with Christ. Once he lures you away with these "good things" then he drags you down into the depths of sin and powerlessness.
So you want to make a new resolve? Then I suggest that you also decide to take your spinach with you too. Even Popeye knew where his strength came from.
Just Saying
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