Droplets from Life

Last night as David and I sat sipping our lemon tea, we chuckled over the newspaper columnist's article. 'Angry from Berwick' was recounting his own New Year Resolutions - to be more tolerant of the music of young people, to smile at queue-jumping people, etc.

This started me thinking about my own resolutions for the New Year. Last night I prayed about this, for certainly a New Year is a very good time to take stock of life, achievements, and set some goals for the future. To aimlessly drift usually gets me lost!

At Church this morning we heard about the shepherds on that beautiful Christmas night. I was challenged as I realised afresh the complete willingness of these men, to leave their sheep, perhaps losing their job as a result of that, and follow the Angels command.

We closed our service by singing the old hymn, 'All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him In His presence daily live.

I surrender all I surrender all All to Thee My blessed Saviour I surrender all' (Judson W. Van De Venter, 1896)

As we sang I realised that God was speaking directly to me. He was speaking to me about my New Year Resolution. As we sang, I again reminded myself, in God's presence, of my need to empty myself. As we sang, I recommitted my resolve to give over my dreams, and my hopes, and my plans, so that God might use my life more fully. As we sang, I asked for more of my personality, my habits, and my inhibitions to die, so that God's love might take and use every aspect of my life for His glory. As we sang, my heart's desire was that God might be my all, my one and only passion.

We came home from Church and sat in the sunshine eating our lunch. What could be more beautiful, I thought, than my life completely abandoned to God. Yes, this is my New Year's resolution. More self-emptying, more dying of myself, so that God may be all.

I opened my email and this is what I read: "Believers have not been distinctly guided to see that nothing is more natural and beautiful and blessed than to be nothing, so that God may be all..." - Andrew Murray.

I realise God has spoken to me today. He has given me a purpose for the New Year - "to be nothing, so that God may be all".

May the Lord be with you all in this New Year, and may we as God's children grow in unity and love, seeking to become more like Jesus.

(c). 2006. Christine M. Jones. Droplets from Life: http://dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com