Presence Weekly 1/08/2024

[The Devo] Taylor Swift, U2, and Rethinking Resolutions

Most of us take the new year as an opportunity to look forward with a renewed sense of optimism and commitment to improving our lives. It is as though we consider the new year a chance to start afresh.  

In an effort to connect with the largest possible audience, I shall quote two of the best pop lyricists of the past 40 years. 

Of New Year’s Day, Taylor Swift writes, 

You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi
I can tell that it's gonna be a long road
I'll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe
Or if you strike out and you're crawling home

Don't read the last page
But I stay when it's hard, or it's wrong, or we're making mistakes
I want your midnights
But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

My childhood band, U2, wrote in a bit sharper tone, 

All is quiet on New Year's Day
A world in white gets underway
I want to be with you
Be with you night and day
Nothing changes on New Year's Day
On New Year's Day

I will be with you again
I will be with you again

Despite their differences, they share an overlapping theme: commitment.  A commitment that is unwavering. A commitment despite circumstances.  

What is it about New Year’s Day that entices us into making commitments? We do so with relationships, fitness, weight loss, financial management, drinking, and life goals. More importantly, Christians say with their devotion to and obedience to Christ. This takes the form of “I will pray every morning” and “I will read my Bible every day.”

All this talk of commitments reminds me of January 17^th, which is also known as “Ditch Resolution Day,” the day that most people have given up on their less than three-week-old commitments to relationships, fitness, weight-loss, financial management, drinking, life goals, and yes, even devotion to Christ. We seem to love professing our commitment to actions and people. That is not new. 

After the Lord used Moses to free his people for Egypt, the newly freed people found themselves at the base of Mt. Sinai, listening to Moses tell them the rules of the road. After all of the commandments have been conveyed, we read this, in Exodus 24 verses 1-8.

Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.” Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” 

As we read this passage, it seems clear that the people are resolving to obey the LORD from now on in their newfound freedom and to use this freedom as an opportunity to start over with renewed commitment to their God. 

On January 15^th, two days before the “Ditch Resolution Day,” Iowa will hold its first-in-the-nation caucuses, followed closely by the New Hampshire Primary.  By August, both parties will have made their selections for the presidential ballot, and on November 5th, our nation will have elected a president in a free and fair election.  Along the way, we will all hear the phrases, “This is my commitment to you” and “I resolve” more times than we can count. 

We know that many of these promises are just empty political rhetoric that simply tells the people what they want to hear. Despite their best intentions, other of their promises are not going to happen. The Washington machine will dilute them, defer them, block them, or just vote them down.  And yet, election after election, people will fill living rooms, school auditoriums, and rallies to hear a new set of promises from a new set of candidates. 

We all know that in Exodus 32, shortly after saying, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient,” the people built a golden calf, worshiped it, and had a party filled with debauchery. For Christians, "Ditch Resolution Day" is always a given.

So, why didn’t God say, “That’s it, I am done with you!” 

It’s not because God is like us, constantly hoping against hope that the next time we make a promise, we will keep it. Rather, it is because God is not like us. He is unchanging. He is the God of steadfast love and faithfulness.  He always keeps his promises, including the promise to redeem us from our sins and pay the penalty for our transgressions himself. 

As we head into the New Year, make your resolutions. But do so knowing two things. First, neither your intention to do better nor the ability to keep your commitment has altered your need for redemption or increased God’s love for you. Second, God is unwavering in his love for you when you fail.

Also, a little less gullibility with the candidates’ promises wouldn’t hurt.

Last Things...

Look for the third volume of Presence in the coming weeks, along with some new podcasts.