Over the Christmas Holiday, I was “in Heaven” as our family all gathered at my house to celebrate. The grandchildren were, of course, the life of the party. After all of the gifts were opened, the festivities moved outside. My two older sons took pride in taking their four-year-old nephew, Jonah’s prized remote controlled Monster Truck and running around the house with it. A chase most certainly commenced and Jonah’s wails of bewilderment followed. Gigi, no doubt, came to the rescue! “You boys leave that baby alone! Give his truck back right now!”
Meanwhile, my one-year-old grandson, Carson, had just plotted an ascent up his own personal Mt. Everest. (It is actually a hill in my backyard.) I might add, he only started walking this past week. However, Carson decided that he would in fact, climb the adventurous hill ahead. Why? He wanted to! He wanted to see what lay beyond the barren trees. He wanted to look for mud covered rocks, prickly sticks, or furry animals perhaps. He didn’t ask for help or hold up his hands for one of us to carry him to the top of his mountain. He assumed that he could get there all by himself… I mean, he DID have like five hundred fifty steps of practice under his belt! Why shouldn’t he be able to reach the top? Right? Wrong!
Carson took all of four steps when gravity pulled his wobbly body and he quickly fell to his knees. Sure, he could have made several more steps without falling, if he had been on solid ground. However, this hill was rocky and it contained crevices hidden under plots of grass. I knew Carson would never make it up the hill. Therefore, I sauntered over toward him to protect him from certain imminent danger. Unfortunately, before I could reach that head-strong grandchild of mine, he proceeded in super speed, “must conquer,” mode! By the time I caught him, he had suffered a few knicks and scratches.
Would you believe that precious grand baby of mine kicked his legs, head-butted my chin, and cried to return to the same hill where I had just rescued him? Yes, he wanted to go where he pleased and he wanted to go alone…no matter the danger.
Could it be that we Christians have entered this new year with the same head-strong determination? Have we asked God where he would have us go this year? Have we questioned what he would have us do? Like Jonah, we will encounter people in this new year who want to steal our joy. Have we asked for God’s hedge of protection for ourselves and our family?
It could be that we have a list of goals that we want to accomplish “for God” this year. The Lord knows that every year of my life I have had “lose weight” on my New Year’s Resolution List! But, maybe, just maybe, we’ve been going about walking into the new year ahead of us all wrong! It is entirely possible that we haven’t been walking alone long enough (we’re never alone) to know the danger of what lies ahead in this new year.
It’s a given that we will quickly fall to our knees in the first week! …Aaaannnnddd more than likely, we will take off crawling at lightening-speed like Carson did when he fell. We won’t want others to know of our weakness. So, we will pretend that everything is fine, just fine. If you don’t believe me, ask the next person you see how they are doing. More than likely, you will hear, “Fine.” Pray for them. They are crawling!
What am I suggesting? I say, “throw those New Year’s Resolutions away!” Why? If you want to live a successful life, all you need to do is contact God daily. Ask him what he would have you to do. Do that! Many Christians look for the BIG things that they can do for God to appease him. One big thing isn’t much when you consider the entirety of your whole life.
As you enter this new year, 2022, be wise enough to not try to go alone, your way, when you want, and where you want. It sounds nice in theory, but we don’t see the dangers that God sees ahead. If you desire to have meaning in your life this year, to be successful, and to please God, you need to understand that DAILY CONVERSATION with your creator, FOLLOWING WHERE HE LEADS, DOING AS HE INSTRUCTS (from the Bible, prayer, others, etc), and SERVING OTHERS is all it ever takes!
This year is your next Mt. Everest. Allow God to help you reach the top one prayer at a time!
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.
Psalm 37:23.
