What Are You Looking For In 2024?
I know the title of this article is not grammatically correct, but we all get the point, and besides, it rhymes. We are on the cusp of a New Year. This is the time of year many make ‘New Years Resolutions’. It is likely we all desire to improve ourselves in some areas during the coming year. Many of us resolve to exercise more, eat less, or to improve ourselves in some other fashion. Most of us fail to see these through for the whole year.
Usually, these ‘resolutions’ are made to address some sort of physical need or desire such as losing weight. Most of these are often abandoned as we reach the goal, or when we become bored because it is hard, or the goal has not yet been attained. I personally have discarded several New Years Resolutions for various reasons in the past, but still make one or two annually. This is because I always see a need. What better time to address this than at the beginning of a year? The key is to maintain the labor or exercise until the goal is attained.
One question we might ask ourselves as we ponder which ‘resolution’ we are going to make is, “what do I need most?” We all should want to do the things that are conducive to better health. We desire that our bodies operate at maximum efficiency, and are saddened when, due to age, accident, or injury, they do not. But should we not desire the ‘inner man’ to function at its best so the outer man can be better as well?
This should be something for which we all should work in the coming year. Is it not important that both parts of man be properly maintained? Even in the Old Testament, the Spirit had the psalmist declare what God desires for us all. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.(Psa. 51:6) Is this not something we all should look for in 2024? Per 2Cor. 4:16 our bodies will fail, but our soul needn’t. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
We all should be aware that physical health and well-being is extremely important, “For as the body without the spirit is dead,. . . ”, as Jas. 2:26a informs . But this is not the end of the ‘spirit’ (soul). In Eccl. 12:7 we are shown that the soul of man continues to exist after the death of the body. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. But this does not mean that all who die will spend eternity with God as many tend to believe. When Jesus was on earth and while He spoke to His disciples, in Matt. 10:28, He warned them about fear. He also told them some would spend eternity separated from God. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
While we focus on what we want to make us better as we move into a New Year, perhaps we should ask what God wants for us. God has promised man a great deal since He created mankind. 2Pet. 3:9 tells us God is not “slack” when it comes to His promises. This verse also tells us what God wants for us. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It is important that all ‘look for repentance” and become His children per His Holy Word.
Now, why should we ‘look for’ this in 2024? The information is provided by the Spirit to Paul to deliver to the brethren in Corinth. All Christians should “look to do well in 2024 and every year, because as 2Cor. 5:10 tells us, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. In the meantime, we should seek to ‘do good’ while we live our lives here so we can prepare to ‘appear before God’. (Eccl 5:18-19)
So, by what means are we to ‘do good’ as we look for whatever 2024 brings? Eph. 3:16 tells us that the source of our strength is provided by God Himself. He sent the Holy Spirit, Who provided Words of inspiration to Paul to write to these brethren as well as others. In this place, we see: That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;. This strength is revealed to the ‘inner man’ by revelation of God. Per 1Cor. 2:10-11, God sent His Spirit to reveal God’s plan so man could know the plan of God for Salvation, and that for which all should be looking in any given year to make him or herself better. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
As we enter 2024, let us not forget the most important aspect of ourselves as what is our greatest need. To do this, we need to have the same attitude of the apostle Paul and what the Spirit had him write in Rom. 7:22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: Should we not be looking for the same thing the Spirit had the psalmist declare in Psa. 119 10-11? He had him pen: With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
What are we looking for in 2024? Should it not be that which is most pleasing to God? Think about it.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
