Resolution for Life 1/3/43

Scripture: Philippians 3: 1-14

Another year has passed, and another year begun. Amid the festivities at the beginning of the year many a resolution was made. Some so-called resolutions may have been uttered in fun as a part of party entertainment. Others were doubtless expressed as tentative recognition of desirable things to do and commendable positions to take, but with no serious determination to make them effective.

No doubt some people were impressed with the thought that a new year, a clean page on the fast-turning leaves of the book of eternity, lay before them and deeply resolved to write their lives plainly, nobly, rightly on that page. Perhaps you may be among those who have made these truly serious resolves to live better than ever before, resisting certain definite evils which you recognize more clearly than any other, and endeavoring faithfully to accomplish some fine good which you are sure can be accomplished by your efforts.

The beginning of a new year, though not the only time for making good resolutions, is as at least as good as any other time. As a matter of fact, it might be said that anyone can make a new year, yes, a new life in a moment of high decision. The man who, having been a drunkard, pouring his limited income into that which further weakens him while his family suffers all sorts of want, decides with his whole soul that he will have no more of it and perhaps signs a pledge that, as for him in his intemperate weakness, he will never touch it again, can make a new year and a new life.

The wayward son who has filled his hopeful parents’ heart with anguish and disappointment can, like the returning prodigal, create a new family joy and a new, more humble, stronger man within himself.

A man may have known for years in his heart that he ought to be a Christian, standing for the world of things that Christ stands for, and against the world of things Christ stands against. He can, in a moment of high decision to join Christ’s Church and to support Christ’s way of life with his voice, his influence, his substance, his time and talents, make a new year - a new life!

The beginning of a New Year is as good a time as any to make really high resolves. Why should we be satisfied with little trivial, insincere resolutions? Through fear, or stubbornness, or carelessness, we put off or put away the matter of facing, with God, our better selves until God has to knock us down, like Paul, to bring us to our better senses. And, even when given some forceful reminder, we do not always (like Paul did) rise to newness.

A few of Paul’s words, in his letter to the Philippians, might well represent the resolution of our lives. He has just finished saying that he is no perfect man (even though he has been a leader among them.) “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended,” he says. He is a follower of Christ in the hope that he will understand better what he ought to be and do.

Then he goes on with an expression of very firm determination. “But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

There are several characteristic elements, in this resolution of Paul’s, which we shall need in making effective any worthy resolution of our own. (1) One is concentration. “This one thing I do.” A general resolution to be good, or better, is practically useless. The desire to do or be a hundred different things, or twenty five or even a dozen, is just so much scattered waste. We do well only one thing at a time. It had better be something of importance and it must have all the powers of our concentration for the length of time it takes us to get it accomplished. Paul resolved on one important thing at that time - “This one thing I do.”

2) Another is renunciation. “Forgetting those things which are behind.” A multitude of details (some of them unpleasant, some of them former triumphs) must be pushed aside, making place for the one important thing. Who of us has not had the trying experience of choosing which of a number of attractive things we wanted to do in one evening or in a given week? All life is like that. We have the necessity of choosing what is to be first and then putting it first with all other things left aside, and momentarily forgotten while we are busy. And some things are well forgotten permanently.

3) A third characteristic of our good resolution is aspiration - “Reaching forth unto those things which are before.” With all else forgotten, concentrating on the great matter in hand Paul looks ahead, aspiring to a truly better followership of his Christ.

4) And, fourth, like a runner in a marathon, he presses “toward the mark” - the goal line - that is determination that will not be turned aside.

O that every one among us might this day make his or her mighty resolution for life with concentration, renunciation, aspiration, and determination, seeking the help of Almighty God that he may follow his Christ more closely.

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dates and places delivered:

Pilgrim Church, Honolulu, January 7, 1940 AM

Wisconsin Rapids, January 3, 1943