WHATEVER YOU DID NOT DO IN 2019

RESOLVE TO DO IN 2020

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Try your best.  Give it your all.  Do good.  Work as hard as you can.  Give it 110 percent.  All of us have been encouraged to do these things when it comes to our Christian lives.  There are Scriptures that give us a basis for these admonitions.  “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might…” (Eccl. 9:10).  “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11).  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Cor. 15;58).  “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:11). 

            All of us, however, know that we often fall short.  We do not do our best.  We do not give it our all.  We do not always do good.  We do not invest 110 percent.  Often this happens because we choose not to.  We get discouraged and fail to perform as we should.  We get our feelings hurt and we become passive aggressive by refusing to use our talents for the Lord.  We get involved in things in the world and fail to put our priorities in the right place.  We pursue earthly relationships over our relationship with Jesus Christ.  When these things happen, we often feel guilty.  We know we should have acted differently.  We know we should not have let other things get in the way of our service to our Lord and Savior.  In our minds, we know we must change.  We must do better. 

            In this article, we want to encourage you to make those changes in the New Year.  The title of our article is:  “Whatever You Did Not Do in 2019 Resolve to Do in 2020.”  The beginning of a new year is a perfect time to rededicate our lives to our Christian service.  We can put the past behind us.  We can start off with a clean slate.  On January 1^st, there is absolutely nothing negative on our journal of life.  We can start writing 2020 any way we desire.

            Perhaps you were not as faithful in your attendance of Bible classes and worship services as you should have been in 2019.  Resolve to be faithful in 2020.  Keep in mind the admonition not to forsake the assembly (Heb. 10:25).  Seek to follow the example of Jesus whose custom was to attend the synagogue on the Sabbath day (Luke 4:16).  Remember that God is truly worthy of our praise and adoration because of who He is and what He has done for us (Rev. 4:11; 5:12).

            Perhaps you did not dedicate yourself to increasing your knowledge of the Word of God in 2019.  You let other things take precedence over time needed to learn God’s will for your life.  Resolve to do more study in 2020.  The Bible commands us to study in II Timothy 2:15.  “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Don’t forget that study makes us strong, helps to protect us against sin, and causes us to grow into more mature children of God.  Our knowledge makes us more fit for the Master’s use.

            Perhaps you did not labor in the vineyard of the Lord the way you should have in 2019.  It is now a good time to resolve to become a diligent worker in 2020.  We need to realize that God needs diligent laborers to do His work.  Jesus said:  “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38).  If we do not labor as we should, we could fall from our steadfastness.  This was the warning of the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 4:11.  “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”  Find several works of the church in which to be involved.  Invest your time, your talents, and your money in them.  Work as hard as you can to make them a success.

            Perhaps you did not shun sin the way you should have in 2019.  For some reason, you allowed yourself to yield to the temptations of the evil one.  2020 is a good time to resolve to put away sin in your life.  Sin is not a positive thing.  It is the transgression of God’s will (I John 3:4).  Too, it separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2).    Paul’s words found in Romans 6:19b are something to consider as you make this resolve.  “…for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.”  Make holiness your goal in the New Year.  Make it your goal to become more like God.  “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:  but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Pet. 1:14-16)..

            There are many areas of our Christian lives wherein we may have fallen short in 2019.  But, just think, we can change.  We can be better husbands or wives.  We can be better examples to others.  We can be individuals who are more compassionate towards others.  We can be better soul-winners.  We can invest ourselves more in our prayer life.  We can be more generous givers.  We can take our roles in the body of Christ more seriously.  We can love more, forgive more, and make our lights shine brighter.  2020 is just days away.  Whatever you did not do in 2019 resolve to do in 2020.  Why not?  Why not?