I have written before, in this space, in January, about the value of see-ing the beginning of a year as an opportunity for a fresh start. There is no specific Biblical basis for “New Year’s resolutions”, but there is certainly plenty that is Biblical about resolving to do better; resolving to be trans-formed, even in specific areas. The only artificial aspect is the date itself; the first day of the first month is an easy target date to start, and it marks the end of the holiday season.
Over the past few years, I have encouraged you to join us in a church-wide period of fasting. The year was given a theme, and we spent three weeks exploring that theme and fasting itself. It has been a well-received practice, but as I mentioned a few weeks ago, I don’t want to do it for the sake of doing it; I don’t want to get entrenched in a tradition and risk be-coming legalistic. Also, I don’t have a particular theme for this year. The year of…what? By the way, 12 months from now we will be welcoming the year 2020, so I am calling dibs on “year of vision.”
Having said that, I must say I have been pleasantly surprised by how many people have urged me to reconsider the fast, theme or no theme. I guess, in my own manifestation of legalism, I felt trapped by the idea of “no theme = no fast.” Well, not so fast, I guess. I will, in fact, be asking and encouraging you to fast with us again. And while I will endeavor to send you, via email, some guidance about what we, as a church, can be
praying about during these weeks, I want to start by making a couple of broader suggestions.
When it comes to personal examination and reflecting on God Himself, there is no better place to spend time than the Psalms. I suggest we resolve to read through the book of Psalms in January. There are a few reading plans to help you with this, but the bottom line is this means reading roughly five psalms a day. Psalm 119 can be its own day, since there are 31 days in January. And speaking of Psalm 119 . . .
Psalm 119:57-60
You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words. I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
That is a pretty good place to start, when it comes to resolutions, isn’t it? And that’s my introductory point for this year’s fast: we, as a church, will be healthier, stronger, more effective, and we will more accurately present Jesus to the community and the world when we, as individuals, become more God-centered, more focused on the work of the Gospel, and more like Jesus. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So let’s resolve, for the sake of one another, to be a strong, healthy part of the whole.
It’s a new year (2019, they are calling it)! Let’s make it a great one in our homes, in our church, and in our world.
With You in Christ,
