Daily Devotional

Over the years I’ve heard people make some pretty ridiculous New Year’s resolutions.  A few that stand out to me are:

• I will think of a password other than “password” or “hello.”
• I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.
• I will finally fix the plate thing in the microwave so that it rotates.
• I will watch more kitten videos on YouTube.
• I will lose weight by inventing an anti-gravity machine.

Of course, we all can relate to the frustration of making New Year’s resolutions, only to snap back to our old behaviors a week later.  I wonder what would happen if we invited God into the discussion and asked him to make a resolution for us?

One resolution that I think would please him is found in 1 Thessalonians 1:2–3.  What if this year we endeavored for our lives to be characterized by three things: our work of faith, our labor of love, and our patience of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ?

If you’re paying attention, you may have noticed that these verses contain the trinity of classic Christian virtues: faith, love, and hope!  And just as Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:13, these three virtues are the apex of the Christian life.

This year, may our lives be characterized by our work of faith.  The Greek word ergon can emphasize the energy or effort involved in completing a task.  And it’s a good reminder that faith without works is dead.  Living faith, on the other hand, is an active mighty trust in the power of God that leads to good works.  It’s always looking for an opportunity to exercise its muscles because that’s what it was designed to do.  True faith can’t stand sitting still and doing nothing.

Secondly, may our lives be characterized by our labor of love.  Not only does faith lead to good works, but genuine love leads to labor, which is a deeper and more permanent commitment than ergon.  The Greek word for “labor” comes from a root that means “to strike.”  It signifies something painful.  And that’s why the word is usually translated as toil, trouble, burden, or hardship.  It reminds us that serving Christ will most likely cost us something if it’s going to amount to anything.  Labor isn’t easy, it’s hard.  But in the end, it’s worth it.  And if it flows from the unending stream of God’s love within us, it will bear genuine fruit.

Finally, may our lives be characterized by our patience of hope.  A year is a long time—365 days—for our planet to revolve entirely around the sun.  And that means we’re going to need a lot of patience and a lot of hope to make it through another year.  Fortunately, we don’t have to manufacture our own patience or conjure it up from within ourselves.  Patience is a fruit that comes from the Holy Spirit, and it replenishes itself through hope.  Not just any hope, but hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.  As we keep our eyes fixed on him, we will find all the hope we need for another year.  

"New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved."