So, New Year’s resolutions appeal to me.  However, none have I ever kept; including my resolution to work through all the wonderful daily devotionals that live on my bookshelves. I am glad for their company.

Resolved . . . really?

Devotionals can lead me to Scripture and encourage me to jump in.

But, [even] by mid January I have never been as faithful a reader as they have been a faithful unfinished resource.  Too often,  I remain on the shore of their commentary, and do not dive into in the depths and delight the word of God is.

Consequently, this year, I resolved to read through the Gospel of John. I am already behind as the first week of the New Year ends!

It’s not like I don’t read the Bible; I do. I am still part of hardy band of souls slogging through the Chronological Bible. We are finishing Kings and Chronicles and beginning with some Prophets. What sounded like bad behavior  in the eighth century before Christ,  sometimes  sounds like the news today, sometimes, even in the church. The good news remains: although men –and women—fail, the Lord doesn’t!

Which brings me to catching up in John and soaking in Chapter 5:24:

²⁴ “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. (NLT)

And this hope takes me to a comment in my go-to devotional I found in an estate sale in Big-D: A Book of Days for Christians. I have no idea who its author, William of Glashampton is, or was.  But he sure understood the heart of my New Year’s Resolutions!

RESOLVED:

 It is a blessed privilege to wait upon God, and to stand aside in the dark doing nothing except trying to be a little less unfaithful. (~William of Glashampton, A Book of Days for Christians, page 33)

Oh so true!

It’s never too late to dive in the Scriptures, and paddle around, with or without a devotional.   I promise you will not drown! Consider the Proverb for the day, or one of the Gospels. I just finished Jonah for the Bible study, again. He is such a kindred spirit!

Resolved: Keep Wading!

You also might like this previous post that includes a friend’s wonderful poem!