As we begin a new year, one of the most common things that most people do is to create a New Year’s resolution. As we look back over the past year, there are things that we may wish that we could have done differently. Perhaps we wish that we would have spent more time with loved ones, or that we would have grown closer to God through His Word and prayer, or maybe that we should have taken better care of our bodies. We often make resolutions to help change past mistakes or regrets, and vow to make this year even better. We think that the commitment might help us to change and that a new year equals a new and blank slate.
Unfortunately, though, a majority of the resolutions that we may make often fail, although we may have the best intentions in mind. Many studies have shown that New Year’s resolutions aren’t often successful. By the second week of January, over 25% of people will have given up or stopped their resolution. Over 73% of people will give up before meeting their goal, and only 8% of people will actually achieve the goal of their resolution. Perhaps this is why some people don’t even make them anymore! But why do we fail at keeping them? It may be because we have a lack of commitment or discipline for our goal. Life can be busy, and we can forget about our goals or not have enough time to achieve them. Perhaps, our resolutions might even be unattainable for us, and we give up when we realize that. Trying to keep a resolution is a difficult thing.
As we approach 2018, Paul gives us some words from Romans that will shape our lives and how we approach the upcoming new year. This text is one of the readings for New Year’s Eve. In it, he tells us what his New Year’s “resolution” is. Despite the odds against us, Paul gives us a great suggestion about what our New Year’s resolution and life focus should be for the upcoming year. He gives us a resolution that will never fail because it focuses upon God and what He does for us.
The word resolution means “determining upon an action, course of action.” It also means “determination.” When we make resolutions, we determine to do something. Whether we focus on losing weight or trying to be nicer to people, we are determining upon an action. We are resolving to do it. Resolutions like these can be good things, and there is nothing wrong with them. But Paul is challenging us to do something more, something different.
Hear what Paul’s resolution is. He says, “For I am sure,” or as other translations say, “I am convinced,” “I am persuaded,” “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is what he focuses on and determines to know. He determines to know that nothing will separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is confident, convinced, and persuaded of this. He determines to know this.
Let’s take a closer look at his resolution and focus. In Paul’s resolution, God is the subject. He is focusing on God’s love and how we cannot be separated by it. Who is the object? Paul is because he is receiving God’s love. He is focusing not upon himself but on what God has done for Him. This is the beauty and genius of Paul’s resolution.
So why does Paul resolve and determine to know the love of God that we have through Jesus? It is because God’s unconditional love for us led Him to give us His Son. His love for us led Him to not even spare His own Son for us, when Jesus died on the cross in our place. And since Christ died for us and intercedes for us, who can bring any charge against us? Satan cannot accuse us before God because we have been completely forgiven. Although we are sinners, we are saints in the eyes of God. Through Christ, we are holy and righteous before God; we are forgiven. Just as we cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ, we cannot be separated from this forgiveness as well! This is why Paul determines to know the love of God because in it he sees his salvation and all of the good and gracious acts that God does for him! This love and forgiveness will never fail! We can always depend on this.
We know what Paul’s resolution is for the upcoming year. What is your resolution going to be?
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XIX, Number 6, January 2018)