In the publishing world, this time of year is known as “new year, new you.” In other words, as we turn to calendar to a new year, we naturally think about how we want to make our lives new. Just a quick Googling a moment ago revealed that “new year, new you” means a time when the world of publishing and media generally goad us to make resolutions to exercise more, to eat better, to make more money, to work toward that career we’ve always wanted, that kind of thing.
Now of course there’s nothing overwhelmingly wrong with those things—most of them are worthy goals. But do they add up to a life worth living? If we all got thinner, richer, more powerful, and more famous, would we be truly happy? Would we be living a beautiful life? Most importantly, would it be the path that God wants?
And so, at this time of year, I ask myself, What needs to be the one big, hairy, audacious Yes in my life?
What I want in my life is not to make adjustments, to move the furniture around, but to become not simply a “new me,” but what the Apostle Paul calls “a new creation” in 2 Corinthians 5:17. And since I find myself on the brink of 2008, I’m also finding myself turning again to a great passage from Paul where he describes his overriding motivation. I am particularly moved by this passage because Paul writes this—not as a detached reflection—but in midst of imprisonment, where his lifelong ambition to proclaim the Christian message would seem to be thwarted. But for him, this affliction only further clarifies what he lives for. He knew the big, overriding Yes in his life.
"This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
I think this is something worthy of human life. It’s not a life built of secondary goods of money, recognition, and position. It’s built on what we are created for—to enjoy and glorify God. And when we do this, I believe there we discover life, excellence, and beauty. That’s something worth living for.
3 comments:
Hi Greg, I remember your preaching from FAPC in New York, and came across your blog when looking for some sermons for a "pastors emeritus" series in my fellowship group. (The overall topic or theme of the group is "Finding God in the Sermon", which gives us lots of flexibility to consider any sermons we want, from Jonathan Edwards to MLK Jr. to the present day.)
In any event, I look forward to reading more of your posts, and glad to see you are doing well.
Greg, this is dope brotha! One of the most profound things that I have learned this last year and a half is how meaningless that our plans in life are is the end goal isn't to side by side with Christ. Why not live for the one thing that we are created to live for? I know i am a little late commenting, but good word man!
These are some nice responses. Really all they call for is to say thanks!
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