| Whether we verbalize it or not, most of us plan to do something different with the coming of the New Year. We often plan to diet—starting “tomorrow.” We plan to change this or that habit or neglect—usually at our convenience. I awoke at 3:00 am one morning with these thoughts running through my mind. I could not go back to sleep. I had been contemplating about what I should write for this issue. Verse after verse of Scripture began to come to mind.
There are certain things we do according to the calendar, but living for God, working to make our lives better, establishing godly patterns for our lives, and being a witness of His marvelous grace should never be ruled by the calendar. A young person recently asked me how to go about convincing his family, friends, and coworkers to change their lives as he has. The simple answer is “lifestyle evangelism.”
When our lifestyle makes a change, people readily see the difference. When they see us day after day adhering to a new (or different, as the case may be) lifestyle, they will soon begin to ask questions. I Peter 3:15 reads, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.” Isn’t it amazing that there is a verse of Scripture for every situation?
Now back to my original thought—a new you!
In I Corinthians 15:31, Paul had this to say: “I die daily.” There was no waiting for a new year for him to begin.
The writer of Lamentations wrote, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (3:22-23).
II Corinthians 6:2 reads, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” and Matthew 25:13 reads, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Jesus could come at any time, and I don’t know about you but just in case He does—or just in case someone is watching my life—I go with Paul: I am going to check my resolutions daily.
How about you? A new day—a new me! |
