Good morning:
Have you made your New Year’s resolutions? According to one survey, the top three resolutions for 2024 are saving money, reducing stress, and spending less time on social media. Maybe you’ve decided on something else like exercising more or eating better. There are all kinds of worthwhile goals to pursue, and the beginning of a new year may be just the incentive we need to put out the effort. We want to make the most of the days and months ahead.
In Psalm 90 Moses made a type of resolution too. It’s in the form of a prayer seeking God’s help to make it happen. In v. 12 he wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” There are all kinds of resolutions which make a lot of sense from a worldly point of view. But Moses was looking for something far more important—real wisdom. It is not just knowing what is good for this life, but what has eternal importance and meaning. That wisdom comes only from God. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). The most important thing we can do in the new year is to use it to prepare for eternity. The best resolution we can make is to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
It would be fitting to begin each day asking that the Lord would “teach us to number our days.” May we view them as a time of grace in which to take to heart what Scripture says about our sinful condition, and then to seek Jesus as the wise men did in order to worship him as the Son of God and Savior. May the Spirit through the message of Christ grant us godly resolve and true wisdom for the year ahead.
In Christ,
Pastor
Our service tomorrow is at 9 a.m. The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated. Sunday school and Bible class will follow the service. The adult Bible class will discuss the visit of the wise men to the infant Christ and what it teaches us about Jesus, the world he was born into, and what it means to our lives today.
The activity committee will take down the Christmas tree and decorations after Sunday school/Bible class.
