The pages on the calendar continue to turn. I know that is how it should be, but it still shocks my sensibilities as I think about the swiftness of the days.
When I was much younger it seemed like the days crept along. I didn’t think I would ever become a teenager, be able to drive, graduate from school – the list goes on and on. But today it seems as if milestones fly by every day. It’s true what they say. Time really does fly.
Which brings me to a very important subject. What are you doing with the time you have? Job said, “Man is of few days.” The fact is that the days we have on earth are not unlimited. None of us knows how long we will live. That’s why Moses wrote in Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Today and tomorrow are often days when we take the time to write out our “New Year’s resolutions.” These are those things that we intend to do during the coming year that we have not done in the preceding year. For many these include such things as losing weight, getting healthy, rebuilding broken relationships and such.
I would like to encourage you to make one very simple resolution. Resolve this year to become more like Jesus Christ. For some, the first step would be to trust in him for salvation. You can never become fully Christ-like until he is your Lord and Savior.
But I am aware that the majority of those reading this column are already believers. You are certain of your relationship with the Lord. But perhaps you are not satisfied with it. You want it to become stronger. You want to grow in your faith. You want to become more Christ-like.
I cannot think of a better resolution to make. But how can it be done? How can you and I behave and live more like Jesus would?
The first steps would be to spend more time in prayer and Bible study. It is in the pages of Scripture that we learn about Jesus. We learn who he was and what he did. And it is in conversation with him, prayer, that our hearts are knit to his. We need to pray and read the Bible.
We also need to spend time in worship. We need to serve the Lord through his church. If you have a church home, you need to be active in it. Find a place where you can use your gifts. If you do not have a church home, find one. Find a group of people and pastor who will help you to grow to be more like Christ. This is essential to your spiritual health.
I can think of very few resolutions more important than this one. Let us resolve to be more like Christ. What a difference we can make in this world as we do.