“Meditation”

January 1, 2006

Scripture Reading:    Matthew 2: 1-2; 3-8; 9-10; & 12

Rev. Dr. Carol L. Kerr 

Blue Point Congregational Church

Happy New Year!  Because it is a small group this Sunday.  I thought it would be  a great opportunity to make our New Year’s resolution.  Usually our New Year’s resolution sounds something like this.  I am going to pass our the following dialog from Drama Ministry, it is a short play called “The American Resolution” by Scott Crain.  What we are going to do is going to read it as fast as we can.  We are going to go around in a circle and just read the line right after the one the person next to you read.  The point is to read it really fast, as fast as we can.  It isn’t important if we get it right.  It isn’t important if two people accidentally read it at the same time.  It just sort of sounded like my typical attempt at a New Year’s resolution maybe it sounds like your typical attempt.

“The American Resolution” – by Scott Crain (adapted)

1:         This year…

2:         …in the year of our Lord…

3:         2006

4:         A.D.

5:         I, _________________________  (say your name)

6:         I,_____________________________ (say your name)

7:         I, ______________________________ (say your name)

8:         I, ______________________________ (say your name)

9:         And the rest of us

10:       Hereby resolve to do the following:

11:       I will call my mother more often, just to see how she is doing.

12:       I will spend more time with my children.

13:       I will read the Bible from the beginning to the end.

14:       I will be more patient with my boss.

15:       I will be more patient with my employees.

16:       I will spend more time outdoors.

17:       I will read less John Grisham and more John Maxwell.

18:       I will stop worrying.

19:       I will stop yelling at people in traffic.

20:       I will stop trying to control others.

21:       I will stop making change in the offering plate.

22:       I will start going to the gym.

23:       I will start eating salads.

24:       I will start going to evening walks.

25:       I will strike carbs  from my diet. Until no carbs remain.

26:       I will lose ten pounds.

27:       I will lose twenty pounds.

28:       I will lose fifty pounds.

29:       I will lose one thousand pounds.

30:       I will listen more and talk less.

31:       I will be slow to anger.

32:       I will watch less television.

33:       I will get more sleep.

34:       I will begin work on my garage.

35:       I will begin work on my novel.

36:       I will begin work on my time machine.

37:       I will begin raising llamas for fun and for profit.

38:       I will learn how to sing.

39:       I will learn how to dance.

40:       I will learn how to speak Arabic.

41:       I will learn to play the electric violin.

42:       This is my resolution.

43:       And this time I mean it.

44:       I will do it.

45:       I really will.

All:            Starting first thing tomorrow.

Like I said, that is what my New Year’s  resolution usually is like.  The problem with my New year’s resolution is that I usually don’t include God in it.  Or if I do, I include God in it only on the sides, or as one item on the list, rather than being the heart and soul of my resolution.  I thought today, since it is such a small group this would be a great opportunity to take time to look forward to the New Year and to do so practicing putting God in the center of it. 

So I am handing out a piece of paper and a pencil.  On it are some ways to think about God in your life.  God in your/our life in the year 2005 and ways of visualizing God in our life in 2006.  By the way, visualizing is very important because there are many psychological studies that show visualization as an important way of actually making it happen. 

1)      God gives abundant life.  Jesus said, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  (John 10:10)  Look back on 2005 and think about ways God has given you abundant life.  You may jot some ideas down in this space….

2)      My future as a child of God in 2006 will be better than in the past because God goes before me.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them.  (John 10:3-4)  Imagine God going before you when you go to work….  When you are driving in the car….  When you are with your family….  In other parts of your life…..  Imagine the challenges you think you will have to face in 2006.  Now imagine Jesus walking into them ahead of you and with you.

3)      My future will be better than the past because I’m becoming more like Christ.  We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory.  (2 Cor. 3:18)  In what way do you think you may reflect the glory of Christ in 2006.  In what ways do you think you are becoming a little like Christ.

4)      My future will be better than the past because God is doing new things in my life.  See I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you ot perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.  (Isaiah 43:18-19)

I hope this exercise helps us make a different New Year’s resolution.  One that has God right in the center.  I hope it helps us visualize a year with God and ways that we become closer to God and more like Christ.  Although we still can try to loose those 10 pounds, clean out our garage, learn Chinese and write that novel.  But, whatever we decide to do in 2006 may we remember for whom we are doing it.  It is not for ourselves and not because others think that we should but ultimately it is for God.