RESOLUTIONS PT. 3

Here's another set of resolutions I've made for myself ~

Resolved - to have an audacious faith that measures up to and is worthy of the splendor and power of His majesty and holiness.

I wish I could remember who said this because it didn't come from me. I know it came from someone who was a guest preacher at our church, but I can't remember his name. I do remember the impact he made though. There are certain preachers who just lift your eyes up off yourself and onto the majesty and glory of God. This guy did just that. I don't want my faith to be measured by my circumstances. I want it to live up to all that God is and has promised to be.

Resolved - that when I feel dry and ineffective to entrust my soul to my Father, the One who prunes and cleanses the branches and to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. When darkness veils His lovely face I am resolved to rest in full assurance of all that God is for me in Christ.

My default mode is to slip into self pity and despondency. I need to actively fight against this by faith.

Resolved - to always respond to my husband with mercy, charity and respect.

No, I don't always do this but it is my goal. Elisabeth Elliot once said that we marry sinners and so do our husbands.

Resolved - to entrust my husband and my marriage to God, knowing that His ways and His thoughts are higher than mine, always trusting in His goodness and wisdom and reminding myself that the goal of marriage is not my personal happiness and comfort but holiness.

God created marriage to be a picture of Christ's relationship with the church. There will be no marriage in heaven because then the picture will have its fulfillment at the wedding feast of the Lamb and His bride, the Church. So ultimately, marriage isn't designed to fulfill all my personal needs. Don't get me wrong - marriage is a gift from God and we enjoy many blessings from it, but there's a higher goal and that's to reflect Christ's relationship with His church.

PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS

Yesterday I was transfixed by a sermon given by John Piper on Romans 7. Please listen to this. It changed my perspective on a lot of things. He's talking about knowing our sin. He doesn't mean being able to list what sins we struggle with. He's talking about being acquainted with the corrupting power and influence of our depravity. This is the path to treasuring Christ, clinging passionately to the cross, and seeing Him as the most precious thing in all the world.