New Year, New Me

Colossians 3:10

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New Year, New Me. That sometimes is a slogan people will use at the New Year. New Year is a time when we often look back on the past year. Boy, if we look back on 2020 there’s probably a lot you would like to change.

But it seems that every new year people look back and they try to find things that they would like to change. Sometimes it’s health. Sometimes it’s finances. They look at the way that they’re living and they set a resolution to change. To change the way they are living.

We can do that spiritually too. We can look at the way we’re living and we can desire change. Change is what Paul was talking about in Colossians 3 verse 10.

And put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in knowledge, according to the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:10)

When we look at ourselves and we identify change or areas that need to be changed, we’re comparing it to something. We’re setting a standard that we want to reach and that we’re not there yet. So there’s an ideal image that we’re pursuing. Here Paul talks about the image of the Creator. That’s the image of God. If we would use God’s image as the standard that we’re shooting for, boy there’s a lot of change that needs to be made.

God is perfect in thought word and deed. God is perfect in his love for his creation. God is perfect. How about you?

If you were to use the standard of perfection, what changes would need to be made? And would you ever realize the goal? We know that as sinful human beings we can never be perfect. We’re always going to fall short. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be seeking change. Paul says put on the new self. That’s the person of faith. God wants you to grow in your understanding of what he has done so that you can be saved so that your imperfections can be forgiven.

God sent Jesus to live and die for you so that all of those imperfections are taken away. And he wants you to live as his deeply loved child. So take a look at how you’re living are you living as God’s dearly loved child? What changes would you need to make? Maybe you want to be more consistent in your prayer life. Maybe you would like to read the Bible more regularly. Maybe you’d like to go to church more often and attend Bible study as well. There are many things that you can do, decisions that you can make, that will help you grow in your faith and change into the person you want to be.

New Year, New Me. Today is the day to set those goals, especially goals for your faith. May God bless your New Year, strengthen you in your faith, and make you more certain that God loves you and forgives all of your sins. Peace be with you. Amen.