Every New Years Day that rolls around brings new resolutions – to lose weight – to make more money – to gain more things – blah – blah – blah.
Now I don't put a whole lot of stock in New Year's resolutions - we should live a consistent Christian life every day of the year. But for those who must make resolutions, why don’t we take a page from the Great Awakening preacher Jonathan Edwards? Look at his resolutions:
Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him, by His grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake. [I will] remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.
Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence.
Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.
Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.
Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
Resolved, Never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
Resolved, Never to do anything out of revenge.
Resolved, Never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to his dishonour, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
Resolved, Never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession which I cannot hope God will accept.
Resolved, To ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.
Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Resolved, After afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them; what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
Resolved, Always to do that which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Let there be something of benevolence in all that I speak.
So, as the new year comes upon us, let us resolve to do more for Christ, to seek His face more, to please Him more, and to strive to do His blessed Will in all we say and do.
Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him, by His grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake. [I will] remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.
Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence.
Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.
Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.
Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
Resolved, Never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
Resolved, Never to do anything out of revenge.
Resolved, Never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to his dishonour, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
Resolved, Never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession which I cannot hope God will accept.
Resolved, To ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.
Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Resolved, After afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them; what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
Resolved, Always to do that which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Let there be something of benevolence in all that I speak.
So, as the new year comes upon us, let us resolve to do more for Christ, to seek His face more, to please Him more, and to strive to do His blessed Will in all we say and do.
Happy New Year
As I look in the face of another year,
I thrill with expectation.
As I close out the old and ring in the new,
It comes with jubilation.
For it holds a blank page upon which no pen
Has ever made any mark,
And not a single day has there been besmeared
By this world’s pretentious spark.
For if we give over every new day
To the Lord our God on high,
He can write on each page with a heavenly pen,
As to Jesus we draw nigh.
Then each day will be penned in God’s perfect Will,
The marks of His Spirit we’ll see,
And as we move on through the passing new year,
His obedient children we’ll be.
© 2006 Paul Stultz
As I look in the face of another year,
I thrill with expectation.
As I close out the old and ring in the new,
It comes with jubilation.
For it holds a blank page upon which no pen
Has ever made any mark,
And not a single day has there been besmeared
By this world’s pretentious spark.
For if we give over every new day
To the Lord our God on high,
He can write on each page with a heavenly pen,
As to Jesus we draw nigh.
Then each day will be penned in God’s perfect Will,
The marks of His Spirit we’ll see,
And as we move on through the passing new year,
His obedient children we’ll be.
© 2006 Paul Stultz
