“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV Translation)

How do you look at a new year?

I tend to look at a new year as another chapter in my book of life. As I begin, like everyone else I have hopes and dreams mixed with reservations and fears. I wonder what the year holds in store for me. Will it be a good year?  How will it compare with last year? Will I be glad or sorry when this year is over?

Let me give you an example of what I mean. Have you ever been to a modern art museum? You look at exhibit after exhibit of abstract art and you wonder what in God’s name are you looking at. Reading the title is no help and sometimes even more confusing. Wouldn’t you love it if at that moment the creator of the abstract piece of art was present to explain the piece?

So it is with life. You could spend lots of time and money buying and reading all sorts of self-help books to make the changes you want to make but they won’t do a thing for you. Why, because they start in the wrong place. They start with you. That might seem like the right place to start, but it is not.  If you want to know what your purpose is then turn to the creator of your life, God. Trust me it will save yourself lots of time, money and disappointment. As Rick Warren points out, “You must begin with God, your creator. You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and for God – and until you understand that, life will never make sense. (The Purpose Driven Life pg. 18)

Rick is echoing when Paul said, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do.” (Msg Translation)

Allow me to use the following story as a parable. It is said that during a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe, when the Shema prayer was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting.

The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and
the ones standing yelled at the ones sitting to stand up.

The rabbi didn't know what to do.  His congregation suggested that he consult a housebound 98 year-old man, who was one of the original founders of their temple. The rabbi hoped the elderly man would be able to tell him what the actual temple tradition was, so he went to the nursing home with a representative of each faction of the congregation.

The one whose followers stood during Shema said to the old man, "Is it our tradition to stand during this prayer?"   The old man answered, "No, that is not our tradition."

The one whose followers sat asked, "Is it our tradition to sit during Shema?"  The old man answered, "No, that is not our tradition."

Then the rabbi said to the old man, "The congregants fight all the time, yelling at each other about whether they should sit or stand..."

The old man interrupted, exclaiming, "THAT is our tradition!"

That is their tradition, but is it their purpose? That congregation became so focused on the way to pray that they forgot about the purpose of prayer. How often is this story repeated in churches, in communities, in families, and in our own life. We get so wrapped up in how it is done, we forget about the why, the purpose.

You and I don’t have to speculate about what the purpose of our life is in 2004. Our purpose is revealed in the Holy Word of God.

“For everything, absolutely everything above and below, visible and invisible got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.”(Colossians 1:16Msg Translation)

The purpose of your life and mine is very simple. It is living for God, not self. John the Baptist when talking about Jesus said, “He(Jesus) must become greater, I must become less.”(John 3:30)

Are you willing to start this new year resolved to decrease in importance so Jesus can become more important? Are you willing to remind yourself daily that your life is really about living for God, not yourself?

If you are then and only then will 2004 be a happy new year.