Tuesday, January 01, 2013

RE: Solution 2013

I know I have seen the word resolution often. Since I am not very good at keeping them, I often do not make many, if any. Every "New Year" seems to bring the desire to make things different/better this year than the last. Well, by this age then EVERYTHING should be just grand! However, should be is not reality. For some reason, shoulda, coulda, woulda comes to mind.

Every year, I think I'll stop doing things last minute. Most days find me doing just that. I have coupons that will expire on a certain date. IF I find them in time, I am usually using them the day they expire OR kicking myself for not finding them in time and/or misplacing them in a place I KNEW I would not forget....but did.

Today, New Years Day 2013, I looked at the word resolution and saw RE solution. Kind of like a memo format....and the following came to mind:
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To: You
From: God
Date: 1/1/2013 (and every other day)
RE: Solution

Stop trying so hard. I've got this. Surrender. My solution to your problem may not look the way you want or think it should be. Trust me. I never said life would be easy. I promise it will be worth it. YOU are worth it. Open your eyes, your ears and your heart to creation and the people around you. Seek me and you will find me. I will be your resolution and solution for today and all the days to come.
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No matter what your past years have brought, what your new year holds.....even what your next few minutes hold, trust that you are where you need to be for now and that you will not be there alone. I have to admit, I do not always like where I am.....sometimes I don't even like (love, yes, like? sometimes not so much) the people around me. Yikes, that was slightly more honest than I intended.

The world does more than a fair share of kicking when we already feel down. Don't kick yourself if your resolution doesn't last more than a day. The next day is another chance to try again.  

I looked up "solution" on www.biblegateway.com and didn't find it until I checked the Message version. I post the following as a reminder to myself as well because I have had a hard time explaining why "the law" (Old Testament) and "Jesus" (New Testament) were two different solutions to the same problem.

 

Hebrews 10 (MSG)

The Sacrifice of Jesus

10 1-10 The old plan was only a hint of the good things in the new plan. Since that old “law plan” wasn’t complete in itself, it couldn’t complete those who followed it. No matter how many sacrifices were offered year after year, they never added up to a complete solution. If they had, the worshipers would have gone merrily on their way, no longer dragged down by their sins. But instead of removing awareness of sin, when those animal sacrifices were repeated over and over they actually heightened awareness and guilt. The plain fact is that bull and goat blood can’t get rid of sin. That is what is meant by this prophecy, put in the mouth of Christ:
You don’t want sacrifices and offerings year after year;
    you’ve prepared a body for me for a sacrifice.
It’s not fragrance and smoke from the altar
    that whet your appetite.
So I said, “I’m here to do it your way, O God,
    the way it’s described in your Book.”
When he said, “You don’t want sacrifices and offerings,” he was referring to practices according to the old plan. When he added, “I’m here to do it your way,” he set aside the first in order to enact the new plan—God’s way—by which we are made fit for God by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.