Have you broken a resolution yet? That is the question. Or, did you resolve NOT to make resolutions because you “might” break them quickly, so why bother?
Here’s a word of truth from Romans 8:38-39 to help us realize that God is sovereign, He guides our paths, and that if we trust Him through the truth of His word, the Bible, we will always be on the right path, even if we may wander a bit. It is known by those who know me–I CANNOT WALK IN A STRIGHT LINE!. As many of you know, my eyesight in my left eye is very bad, and my right eye was compromised by a retina problem several years ago. Add to that, I am deaf in my right ear and that compromises my balance. Those close to me know better than to walk next to me. I “wander” and spend my “walking life” looking down to make sure nothing else will cause me to fall.
Well, this verse from Romans is my “don’t fall, but be encouraged and keep on plugging” message from God. I hope it helps you. It is the verse Susie Larsen chose for this date in her desk calendar Everyday Blessings. I recommend you purchase it, and give her credit as I acknowledge its influence on my life. The verse reads: I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fear for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell, can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below–indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
So, don’t beat yourself up if you mess up– resolutions or not, if you know Christ’s power. Otherwise, it seems to me, we limit what God can do with our lives as we seek to reflect His glory and serve Christ.
In Susie’s commentary on this verse, she writes: “May the Lord awake you to fresh and powerful revelations of His love. May He stir in you a deep desire to read His Word and stand on His promises. May He lift you up so you can see your life from His perspective. May He put a joy in your heart that makes you glad and others smile. And may you wrap yourself up in this wonderful truth. Abolutely NOTHING can separate you from His love.”
Even if you cannot walk straight, or you stumble, or if you fall, or if life events cause you to love your way or lose your focus, there is One who can steady you on the course again, who can ask you to lean on His promises, or who can direct you to another’s helping hand–is always standing near us and welcomes us in whatever state we find ourselves. You’ve all seen the poster of someone walking on a beach with Jesus, but there is only one set of footprints, and the sklogan says, “that’s becaue Jesus carried me!” He tells us to cast our burdens upon Him. That includes every day resolutions. At the end of the day, let’s confess we wandered, we messed up, and seek God’s word in scripture and/or prayer. That’s really all we need to know in this fallen, sinful world, and that’s the true message of Christmas. He came to live among us, and we call Him Emanuel–God with us. That’s all we need to know, and we can thank Him every day that He knows our pathway and cares where we are in His plan for our journey through life.
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