New Year's Resolutions

Someone said their New Year's resolution was to make no New Year's resolution!

The reason was that they had not kept resolutions made last year, nor the years before that!   With all the human faultiness of the effort, I still think it's a good idea to retrospect - look over our shoulders - at the past year, and evaluate our worth to God's Kingdom.   We've all regrets for neglected duties and things done which shouldn't have been.   We call them "sins of omission" and "sins of commission."

It's shameful the way some folks have missed church services over the past year.   To them I'd suggest a commitment to be faithful to the house of the Lord in 1996.   How many failed to fast regularly in 1995?   There's another suggested area for renewed commitment.   How much have you witnessed this year - how many visitors to church have you been responsible for?   How responsive have you been to preaching this year?   All the response to preaching seems to be limited to the first dozen pews from the pulpit!   How about a resolution to "move up" and   get among the active worshippers?   Let me briefly expound on that.

Perhaps the greatest danger of not worshipping in spirit is that of becoming scornful.   It doesn't take long for spoilage when hot food is left at room temperature.   It doesn't take long to become scornful, questioning the reality of worship in others, when one isn't personally involved.   Wouldn't it have been a beautiful sight had David's wife, Michal, joined him dancing before the Lord?   Just a spectator, she scornfully sought to intimidate her worshipful husband.   Are you a participator, or a spectator in danger of sitting in the seat of the scornful?