Happy New Year!

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar. The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. (Proverbs 19:20-23 ESV). Ready or not the old year has passed and the new year has begun. I wonder how you feel about this new opportunity. Do you face today’s singular opportunity with thoughts of regret over last year’s missed opportunities? Or, do you feel overwhelmed at the challenge of making it through the circumstances you find yourself? Perhaps you may feel an excitement at the possibility of starting over; or you see this year as a chance for another chance to “get it right” this time, knowing your failure in the past. Most of us, if we are honest, will admit we have character traits or habits we would like to change in this new year. Some will even try to modify their behavior. But just changing outward behavior is like rolling back the odometer on a car. You may reduce the number on the display from 200,000 to 20,000, but you still have a car with 200,000 miles on it.

The Wisdom of Solomon gives us hope for those who sincerely desire to change. To acquire this power to change begins with admitting we can’t do it on our own. Remember, lasting change comes from within. We need the help of the Lord. In our reading we discover it is His purpose that will stand (v. 21). Simply explained, Solomon is stating the obvious. God is the only one capable of overseeing and directing creation. Even when we think we have control over circumstances and events, we come to the end of ourselves and our power quickly enough. Only God truly directs the path of history. Our imperative is to align ourselves with that path. When Paul relates his conversion experience he says the Lord asks him why he kicks against the goads (cf. Acts 26:14). That reference is to something Paul would be very familiar with from his culture. The ox-goad was a long sharp stick used to poke an ox to steer them in the right direction. As long as the oxen followed the path the driver let them have their way. They were poked only when it was evident they were about to go off the path and endanger themselves and their cargo. In this Damascus road experience of Paul, God was poking him into the right direction. Paul’s choice was never really which direction he would go; it was only how comfortably he would go there. The same was true for Jonah. His choice was not whether he would go the Nineva, only how he would get there. He chose unwisely and ended in the belly of a fish for three days passage to that city. This year, why not give God all your attention. Go where he tells you the first time. It will be a better year than you could imagine!