As we approach a new decade with the onset of 2020, most of us begin with new resolves…things we will do no more; things we will do differently; things we will throw out; things we will no longer eat…. things, things, things. And we measure our success by looking at those same things declared over the previous years. But what I have found, personally, is that my disposable things have multiplied, and mostly because I never took the time to act on the declaration. So, who is to blame for that?
You might say, ‘There’s enough blame to go around,’ since I did not have the time. I was too tired. It was too overwhelming. I had nobody to help me. But the weight of the burden can become so hefty, and unless we literally do something about it, we can be buried alive. You have seen the TV show, where hoarders have so much stuff that they cannot get out from under it. How much is our lives like that, even as we approach this New Year, and indeed a new Decade. One thing is sure. With the passing of every moment, we begin to realize that we do not have as much time as we think. The clock is ticking. There are still only 365 days in a year. 52 Weeks. 60 Seconds in a minute. 60 minutes in an hour. 24 hours in a day. 7 days a week, and one of them is Sunday, so that leaves even less time.
I sat at my desk the other day at work and I had a few minutes, with no pressing issues, I began to clean up some old items on my desktop. It was a simple as moving the item into the trash basket. With the flick of my wrist, it was gone. Old files that I had saved…. gone. Things that I deemed important…gone. Reference notes, and contacts…gone. It took all of five minutes. And when it was all said and done, and I shifted the remaining things around, I had so much more space. The sigh of relief left me feeling like I had accomplished something. I had ridden myself of years of accumulation, and it was wearing me down. I think we hold onto things because it gives us a sense of security. We know if it is there, we can always count on it. Even if it is ten years later, and we have not yet had to use it. I think we hold onto things because we are afraid to let go. It fills a space that might otherwise be left empty. I think we hold onto things because at least, we have something.
I am not making a declaration about resolves this year. I did that for the past decade. But I am emptying my mind, and stretching out my hands, un-balling my fists, breathing slowly, and waiting for the new thing. I am tired of holding my breath. Tired of tippy-toeing around. Tired of being scared that the bottom is going to fall out of my life, so I am letting go of those things. I want something new. Not new clothes. I have those. Not new shoes, I have too many already. But I want the newness of life that God has promised me. A new thing is a good thing. He is making a WAY for us in the wilderness. He is giving us streams of living water in times we are in wastelands. Second Corinthians 5:17 says it this way; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here.”
John 13:34 says, “A new commandment I give you- Love one another as I have loved you.”
Jeremiah 31:31 says, “Behold, days are coming declares the Lords, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…”
Ezekiel 11:19, says “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them and I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.”
Isaiah 62:2, says “The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD will designate.”
Ephesians 2:15, says “by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace…”
And finally, Revelations 21:5 says, “And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new,” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Truth is, I may not lose the 30lbs that I need to. I may not show up every Wednesday for Bible study. I may still be late getting to places where I need to be on time. I may not clean out my closet. But I want to truly get to the place where I stand only on God’s Word so that I can be moved into the new place where He is taking me to. A place He has chosen just for me. He has more for me than I can imagine, and I have side-tracked myself, for too many years now, so that I cannot see the forest for the trees. He is making me new again, by creating a new thirst in me for Him. He has not changed, but I have! This year I want it back. I want the newness of life that He first gave me when He called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. This year, this decade will be like no other, because our Faithful, True, and Living God has given us something new; another chance, to get it right!
Submitted By Deaconess Irene Gardon