New Year's Resolution


It's that time of year again ... you know, the time when we make promises to ourselves that we (or more specifically I) invariably fail to keep.

Maybe it's to "get fit", or to "lose 15 pounds".  Maybe it's "learn a new language", or "be nicer to people."  Whatever it is - I wish you all of the luck/strength/passion/commitment needed to complete whatever goal you set.

However, if you are like me - most of the resolutions last a few days or weeks at most, and then old habits kick in.  But here is the good news:  while a failed new years resolution can make us feel guilty or unworthy - failures in our lives should not.

Failures of character and judgement, sins against God - all of those are EXACTLY why Jesus came to Earth.  

God gave the people of the Old Testament very specific guidelines and conditions they needed to follow in order to "live up to" His expectations.  They couldn't do it.  Not one person.  

No matter how many times they resolved to do better, they kept failing...and because of that a whole lot of animals were sacrificed.

But with Jesus, the perfect and ultimate sacrifice - God wiped our slates clean.  We are viewed as holy and good; worthy of God and eternal life with Him.  What we couldn’t do on our own, Jesus did for us!

The Bible tells us "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to and end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23

Jeremiah 31:34 has a verse that says, "For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more."

This New Years day as you make your resolutions - know that we are free!  Free to be human.  Free to fail.  And free of the guilt and shame that often accompanies those failures.

Because regardless of how many times we fail, God STILL loves us, STILL cherishes us and STILL desires a relationship with us.

Happy New Year!

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