For centuries, the human race has been plagued by a neverending losing battle of making resolutions for the new year, and never seeming to keep them. But the question is: Why do we always fall for it? It just seems that we make impossible goals, and come March, those goals are usually long forgotten. This seems the pattern, but come Dec 31st ever year, we make new resolutions. And usually fail again.

So why do we always fall for it?

In my opinion, the answer is fairly simple: A new year provides us with a glimmer of hope. It is an invisible line that crosses over from one phase of our life to the next. If we were without clocks and calendars, we would never know the line exists, but the fact is, it does. And thus with this line of crossing from one year to another, it provides hope that we can change. We feel the urge to change.

Paul says in Romans 3:23, out of the Message:
Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us…

The truth is, we are incapable of becoming new people. We are incapable of being self-controlled. Embedded within our DNA is a natural syndrome called the “flesh” and with it, it’s very difficult to overcome the habits that we have acquired over our years on this earth. Even as Christian, renewed by Christ, if we do things in our strength, we won’t get very far.

We all know Zec 4:6:
Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the Word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says Jehovah of Hosts.

You see, the key is letting him take over. If you want to be technical, we should only have one New Year’s Resolution every year, and everyday for that matter. And that is to surrender to His will. We must decrease and He must increase, as John the Baptist prayed. Jesus made it so simple. When asked about prayer, he didn’t give us a long list to prayer for every problem in this world, it was simple “Your Will be done, your Kingdom come.”

And that’s the key. His will is that He would be the King of our lives, and we would surrender to the flow of His Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that rose Christ from the dead, that Created the Universe! Surrender to Him this year. In everything.

Truth is, it’s easier said than done. It means a conscious decision, even at coffee in the morning, to say: “God, Father, by your Spirit, be King of my life today. Take over. Have your way with me. Flow through me. I am your vessel.”

That way, all those resolutions, no matter how unimportant, should be a lot easier. With the help of our father every step of the way.

My gosh.

Yesterday (25th April 2007) I came home from a relatively hectic day, and thought that I would slump down before the television and watch with high hopes the South African cricket team give the Aussies a run for their money. I know, so male it’s scary. May I tell you, I don't usually spend so much time in front of the Goggle-Box, but considering it WAS the ICC Cricket World Cup Semi Final, it warranted my support. Oh, and I'm South African.

So, the TV goes on, and South Africa are 27/5. I could not believe my eyes. The South Africans were so confident ahead of the game, there was real expectancy around the country that this could very well be the year we beat the Australian Nemesis. Yet here we were in a hole only Lance Klusener in his hey-day could dig us out of. Not even the talented Herschelle Gibbs could make much of a dent. Well, when you consider the top order couldn't do it, why on earth should we expect the middle and lower order could do anything? Taking into consideration our top-order consists of the apparently world-class talented AB DeVilliers, Graeme Smith and Jacque Kallis.
So, after a mere 15 minutes of watching the worse horror story of my life; I decide it better I get on my knees and pray. Literally. I switch the tube off, and get onto my knees in my lounge before the King of Kings. Not for the sake of the SA Cricket team, but because I'd rather spend a bit of time impacting eternity, than a lot of time draining my brain. And that's exactly what it was...

After dinner, the tube comes alive again. SA are 149/9 and Charl Langeveldt is swinging like a 1979 VW Beetle Passenger door. Instead of blocking every ball and allowing Justin Kemp to dominate the game, he thinks swinging at every delivery may just change the game. Needless to say, a ball later he was bowled. Justin Kemp stranded at the other end, 49 not out. SA post their lowest ever World Cup score. And become the embarrassment of their country, and of all teams, against Australia. So, like a good loving husband (sarcasm) I remain in front of the TV waiting for the next big sporting event of the day: Chelsea vs Liverpool 1st leg Semi-Final. The players walk onto the pitch and I am desperately excited to see some sort of competition. Because South Africa's work was in no way competition for the mighty Aussies.

I’m in this to watch Liverpool win. After 105 minutes (90 minutes + 15 halftime) I go to bed as about discouraged as one can get. Liverpool lost 1-0. Sure, it was the 1st leg, but I had watched hoping something may happen. It didn’t. I had just spent the majority of my day watching a losing cause. Could there ever be more a waste of time? If I had to calculate the hours I spent before the goggle box it would probably come to around 3-4 hours. 3-4 hours of my life literally poured down the train.

All I’m saying in my first blog of all time is this: Maybe, just maybe, we should get back to where we should be. Focus on what’s eternal. In no way am I saying no more sport. But for me, this was all like watching a 3 hour movie that when it ended, there was no conclusion to the story. How dissatisfying. Maybe we should get behind a satisfying cause. At least some part of my day was spent talking to my Father. In that respect, not all my day was a lost cause.

Let me know what you think about this opinion, and let me know what you make of the Proteas rubbish performance. Post a comment, and let your voice be heard!

Until next time,

Yours in the Eternal Quest for Truth

James