Oh, the New Year's Resolutions

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

The year 2025 is pretty much in the books, and 2026 is here. I know most of us have some great aspirations for the coming new year. You may already have that gym membership that you will use for the first three days of the year. Or maybe you are meal prepping for the first week of that diet that will be compromised at a point of weakness. Or you have some other promise you are making yourself that, although with really good intentions, you probably will not keep.

I am not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions, probably because I have made similar commitments and felt defeated when I struggled to keep them. However, I want to encourage you in one commitment in the coming year. Read your Bible. This is a commitment or resolution worth striving for and is not completely defeated if you miss a day or two or even a week. Like other resolutions, it can be a struggle to get going and keep it, but it is easier than you think. Let me offer some tips.

• Don’t be overambitious. Commit to a reasonable amount each day. Maybe it is a chapter of a book or 15-20 minutes. I have found that smaller amounts of scripture allow me to really study the passage better. 
• Commit to reading with others. Maybe you find someone to read through with you, and you share what you have discovered. There is great accountability in this. 
• Read with pen and paper. Note-taking is such a great tool when Bible reading. Get a journaling Bible or just a good notebook to keep notes. You can also ask Pastor Andy about his Walk With Jesus class- that is a great help in Bible reading. 
• Take advantage of Bible-reading programs. These are great at helping keep you on track to read through the entire Bible in a year. But don’t give up if you get behind. It’s ok if you don’t finish on time. The point is that you are reading. Here is a link to some great reading plans.
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I pray you are the person who hits the gym regularly this year or sticks to that diet to get those chiseled abs. But more than that, I pray that we are a church that delights in God’s Word regularly, that shapes and forms our lives. Happy New Year.