Tuesday,  January 3, 2017

 

As the holiday season ends, we should take the time to contemplate our New Year’s resolutions. Each year, some of the more common resolutions are to lose weight, spend less and save more, get organized, and to fall in love just to name a few. This year however, I would like to shamelessly and unapologetically attempt to influence what your resolutions for the New Year should be.

 

Psalms 103:1-5 NIV

 

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. – King David

 

King David wrote these verses towards the latter years of his life by which time he had already experienced extreme highs and extreme lows. He had defeated Goliath the giant yet he fled from Saul the coward. He had conquered all of his enemies and had established his kingdom only to abandon it as his son stole the throne from him. He had honored God when he danced before the Ark of the Covenant yet dishonored Him by committing adultery and murder. However, when David, contemplated his life, when he looked back and considered all the highs and the lows and everything in between, he was reminded of all the benefits he received from God. David remembered that God had forgiven him all of his sins, in due time had healed all of his wounds, redeemed his life from the tragic missteps and lavished him with love and compassion. Furthermore, and as if that were not enough, He also satisfied all of his desires the right way and renewed him. When David remembered all of the benefits, he decided to have a talk with himself, he spoke to his soul and his entire being and said: “you must praise the Lord and never forget His benefits”.

 

We too need to look back. We need to look back at the past year and look back at our entire life. In doing so we will discover that despite the many lows and the many mistakes we committed, God has benefited us. It is only when we look back that we realize how faithful God has been even when we were unfaithful to Him. Since this is true concerning our lives, I ask: what if our number one priority this year was to praise God with all of our heart and being?

 

As we dedicate ourselves to honoring God through our praises, I will tell you that nobody honors God more than those who commit to seeking Him, to following Jesus, and to leading others to Christ. I pray that as you look back upon your life, that you would consider making it your resolution to honor God by praising Him and may that be reflected in you as you seek to follow and lead others to Christ.