A New Beginning

   As we look forward to the new year there are two ways to see it.  We can be saddened that another year of our life has come and gone.  There were things we hoped to achieve last year that went unfinished and there were things we hoped to overcome that still trouble us.

   A new year is also a fresh start; a new beginning.  We are given new beginnings each day.  God gives us the opportunity to come closer to Him, to know Him better and to love Him more each day of our lives.  We tend to ignore the beginnings of a new day and go about our life in a way that may or may not include thanking God for each day, each moment and each breath we take.

   The beginning of a new year, however, catches our attention.  The whole world makes a big deal of it with all the celebrations and festivities.  Our attention is drawn to New Year’s Day as the perfect time to put our life in order.  It is, after all, a new beginning.

   Many of us make New Year’s resolutions.  Most of us don’t do a very good job of keeping them past the first few weeks of the year.  This year I encourage us to make only one resolution. 

    “I resolve to seek God’s will in all that I do."

   Very simple, yet it can encompass any resolution.  If our resolution is to lose weight and be healthier it’s included; we are the temple of God, it is His will that we maintain that temple properly.  If we resolve to treat others better it’s covered; it is His will that we love our neighbor as ourselves.  If our resolution is to be a better husband or wife or father or mother or son or daughter it’s all included in the one single resolution.  If we resolve to serve God better that too is included; we are to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind.

   One simple resolution that can give us the courage and strength to make all those changes to improve our lives and our relationships with God and our neighbors.  With God all things are possible, even keeping this one resolution.

Father, as we begin this new year

We resolve to seek Your will in all we do.

Amen