media.smh.com.au/whats-your-new-years-resolution-2112162.html
The most common of these commitments is relating to health and while this is very admirable, I want to propose something much more worthy for the new year. I encourage everyone I'm meeting in these first days of 2011 that 'we' make a decisive decision to grow closer to God.
This is a desire I have, that we build our relationships with God as an ongoing decision. Whether those I speak with, are able to resolve to do this or are unable to do it, not, it is nonetheless the ideal time to reflect on the year ahead. While I acknowledge every Christian's walk with God is different, one aspect of our faith that is vital for us, is spending personal time with the Lord.
My challenge is to consider how we 'best practise' building relationships with other people. If we apply those principles to our relationship with God, then we have a workable practical model to go with. It also applies to developing a relationship with a member of the opposite sex, connecting with someone you work with or just becoming better mates with a friend, the personal time between the two of you is essential to build a deep friendship.
I realise that it's positive to spend time in group situations, but in reality, the most intimate and honest moments 'learning about someone' are in the one on one context. Just as we desire to get to know other people, setting aside time to be with them, the same applies with our relationship with the Living Lord. We are told in the book of James that as we come closer to God, He will draw closer to us.
As you grow closer to someone, you get to know them more and will become a little bit more like them. Some of the things they say or do may become little habits or sayings we pick up, without even realising it.
The same applies when we spend time with God and get to know Him. As we learn from His word and realise the way God does things, particularly through the example of Jesus, we will begin to take on a greater likeness of Him.
This process of knowing the Lord and becoming more like Him will help us in turn become better witnesses to Jesus Christ and His Salvation. In order to effectively follow the commandment to be ambassadors for Christ, we need to know who we are representing, and how other individuals will respond in different situations.
Devoting time to God and His word each day will begin to help us understand more about Jesus and how we are to be like Him. This may not be an easy discipline because we have 'other people' or 'things around us' that take up our time, but if you desire to be like Jesus and get to know Him more, I encourage you to set time aside each day for Him.
You may need to get up a earlier, spend a bit less time on the internet, or use your lunch break, but the sacrifice for this relationship is more important than that of any other relationship you have. My plea is to take time out of your busy schedules to reflect on the depth of your relationship with God in the past, and make a personal commitment to 'build your faith' this new year. Think about what you may need to 'drop' or 'adjust your current schedules' to make this purposeful commitment.
For it to become a reality, and take up this challenge for this new year of 2011, look ahead in the wonderful knowledge that growth in your relationship with the Lord (as the year unfolds) will become a direct result of spending more time with Him.