I plant my flag firmly on the side of those who believe Christians may make resolutions.
As a tadpole seminoid I was inspired by the audacity and convictions of
Jonathan Edwards’ famed 70 Resolutions. My heart thumps in time with
over-the-top commitments like #22:
“Resolved: to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.”
But there is something I have learned from the Bible, history, research, and experience:
the absolute worst resolution you could ever make at any time in your
life. It’s a truth the Nazis and the Bible agree on. And the sting in
the tail is that it is probably the resolution you made this very New Year’s Day.
The only resolution you should never make is one that you won’t keep.
Let’s call resolutions what the Bible calls them: vows.
And if there is one thing we know from the Bible about vows is they
aren’t to be taken lightly. Just ask Jephthah’s daughter. Solomon’s
ominous wisdom hangs over New Year’s day: Keep Reading >>>
No comments:
Post a Comment