A new kind of New Year's resolution
Jana Hill
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Forum
What was your New Year's resolution this year? I would guess that it is nothing like the following.
Too many times as Christians-especially Christians in college-we think that with a little bit of God's help we can overcome whatever trouble hinders us.
We pray to God and ask him to help us with that test or with that project or help us get that internship or whatever it is we seek.
But how often to do we tell God that we are utterly helpless without him? We are saved through faith by the grace of God, but it is God's power in us that allows us to do things for his glory. Without him we are only dust.
I think of it with this analogy. Picture yourself on a school bus. You're sitting in one of the cracked leather seats, and you look to the front of the bus and see that God is the bus driver.
You are a little surprised because that was not what you planned. You wanted to get into your car and drive where you wanted to go, but God had something different in mind.
As you sit down, he comes down the aisle and kneels down next to your seat.
"Hello, my child," he says. "I want you to know that you have this entire bus to yourself. Some visitors may come and go, but for the majority of the time it will be you and me. You can sit wherever you want. You can open all the windows, or you can keep them closed. But I only have one rule: that you trust me to get you safely to the destination.
"You are a passenger on my bus, and I love you. I'm going to take care of you. No matter what road I choose to get there, no matter what path I turn down; I want you to trust me. I have a plan, but you need to trust me."
He looks at you with sincere eyes. "Can you do that?" he asks.
"I think so," you reply.
"No. Either you're ready for this bus ride or you're not, because once I start you can't get off unless I say. You will have freedom, but I'm the one in charge. I need you to surrender now."
You are scared, and at first, you really don't know what to say. A part of you wants to get off the bus and never get back on again.
Too many times as Christians-especially Christians in college-we think that with a little bit of God's help we can overcome whatever trouble hinders us.
We pray to God and ask him to help us with that test or with that project or help us get that internship or whatever it is we seek.
But how often to do we tell God that we are utterly helpless without him? We are saved through faith by the grace of God, but it is God's power in us that allows us to do things for his glory. Without him we are only dust.
I think of it with this analogy. Picture yourself on a school bus. You're sitting in one of the cracked leather seats, and you look to the front of the bus and see that God is the bus driver.
You are a little surprised because that was not what you planned. You wanted to get into your car and drive where you wanted to go, but God had something different in mind.
As you sit down, he comes down the aisle and kneels down next to your seat.
"Hello, my child," he says. "I want you to know that you have this entire bus to yourself. Some visitors may come and go, but for the majority of the time it will be you and me. You can sit wherever you want. You can open all the windows, or you can keep them closed. But I only have one rule: that you trust me to get you safely to the destination.
"You are a passenger on my bus, and I love you. I'm going to take care of you. No matter what road I choose to get there, no matter what path I turn down; I want you to trust me. I have a plan, but you need to trust me."
He looks at you with sincere eyes. "Can you do that?" he asks.
"I think so," you reply.
"No. Either you're ready for this bus ride or you're not, because once I start you can't get off unless I say. You will have freedom, but I'm the one in charge. I need you to surrender now."
You are scared, and at first, you really don't know what to say. A part of you wants to get off the bus and never get back on again.
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