Jan 1. What a bad start. Did get up early (3:30 am) but laid in swaddling blankets on the couch. Pretty much all day. Did not go to the gym. Did not pray for hours. Did not read the bible through-in-a-day. Did eat nearly half an 18″ pizza (oh, yes, I did! But it was Salvio’s, so…).
The upside? I woke up “on the floor.” Familiar start. Now I can continue following Jesus without illusions for the rest of the year. If you follow Jesus you’ll have scraped knees from stumbling. It’s humbling. Self-indulgence isn’t the sort of “weakness” in which our Lord’s strength is made perfect (II Cor 12:9). That weakness is in circumstances that normally would debase us: “in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake…” (II Cor 12:10). Lost sight of Him? I do. Too often, but even at my worst, I look and He is there. Calm. Serene. Patient. I need patience from Him.
JESUS! He still smiles, waves me forward. His encouragements are everywhere. Oh, among them, new favorite singer thanks to kind daughter-in-law: aspirational, settling. One of the verses in the song, “Even Unto Death” is, “I am not forsaken.” This is our strength., “have not I commanded you? …the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:7-9) Be thou STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS. Because God says, “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.” Nothing honorable about wimpy Christianity with a God such as He is!
If I had a resolution, I would want this song of complete surrender to be moment by moment true. A call to His arms and a call to arms for battle. Well, Jan 1 is behind, and Jan 2 is ahead. I’ll play this song often.
