Embracing Divine Mercy: Resolutions for the New Year

 

Summary

As the year draws to a close and a new one beckons, the focus turns to the resolutions that will guide individuals and communities through the coming months. Central to these resolutions is the recognition of the need for divine mercy, a desperate desire for God's intervention, a deliberate pursuit of God's guidance, and a delight in God's steadfast love.

The call for mercy is rooted in the understanding that no one is righteous before God on their own merits. This humility before God is essential, acknowledging that it is only through divine mercy that one can hope to navigate the challenges of life. The plea for mercy is not just a cry for help but also an expression of trust in God's willingness to provide the grace needed to overcome personal failings and external adversities.

The desire for God to work in one's life is fueled by a reflection on past experiences of divine intervention and the works of God's hands. This reflection leads to a deep yearning to see God's power and presence manifested anew. It is a recognition that the same God who acted in the past is still at work today and can be trusted to act again in the present and future. This longing is not passive but is expressed through active pursuit, symbolized by the stretching out of hands to God and a soul that thirsts for divine intervention as a parched land thirsts for water.

In the pursuit of God's wisdom, there is an emphasis on the importance of engaging with the Scriptures. It is through the Bible that individuals can search for God's wisdom, expecting God's rescue, embracing God's instruction, and intimately knowing God's leadership. The commitment to reading and studying the Bible, whether it be reading through the entire text or focusing on specific books, is seen as a deliberate act of seeking God's guidance. Gathering with fellow believers to sit under the teaching and preaching of God's word is also highlighted as a crucial aspect of this pursuit.

The delight in God's love is a theme that permeates the resolutions. It is a love that is steadfast, unwavering, and rooted in a covenant that God will not break. This love shapes the believer's identity and actions, leading to a life that seeks to glorify God and trust in His character. The knowledge of God's love is so central that it is the first thing one should seek to be reminded of each morning, even before the distractions of the day can take hold.

Key Takeaways:

- Humility before God is foundational to any resolution for the new year. Recognizing one's need for divine mercy and confessing one's sinfulness sets the stage for a year marked by dependence on God's grace and a rejection of self-righteousness. This humility is not a sign of weakness but a powerful acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and the believer's need for His mercy. [54:49]

- Reflecting on God's past works can inspire a deep thirst for His presence and action in the present. This thirst is not merely a wishful longing but a desperate desire that drives one to actively seek God's intervention. It is a desire that acknowledges the dryness of one's soul without God's refreshing presence and leads to a pursuit of God with the urgency of one who knows they cannot survive without Him. [01:02:27]

- Deliberate engagement with Scripture is essential for discerning God's will and wisdom. A plan to read through the Bible or focus on specific books is a practical step towards immersing oneself in God's word. This commitment to Scripture is coupled with the importance of community, where gathering with others to hear God's word reinforces the individual pursuit of divine wisdom. [01:12:04]

- The steadfast love of God is the believer's anchor and motivation. It is a love that never ceases and is new every morning, providing the assurance that God is committed to His people. This love should be the first thing one meditates on each day, setting the tone for a life lived in response to the overwhelming love of God. [01:16:38]

- Resolutions for the new year should be turned into prayers, recognizing that it is not by human strength but by God's power that one can live out these commitments. The resolutions become a conversation with God, where the believer submits their desires and plans to God's will, trusting that He will empower them to fulfill every resolve for good. [01:23:39]

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
- Psalm 143:1-12
- Lamentations 3:22-24
- James 4:13-16

### Observation Questions
1. What does David ask for in his prayer in Psalm 143:1-2, and why does he make this request?
2. According to Lamentations 3:22-24, what are the characteristics of God's love and mercy?
3. In James 4:13-16, what does James warn against, and what should our attitude be towards the future? [42:01]

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is humility before God essential for seeking His mercy, as seen in Psalm 143:1-2 and the sermon? [51:55]
2. How does reflecting on God's past works inspire a deeper thirst for His presence and action in the present, according to Psalm 143:5-6 and the sermon? [01:00:46]
3. What does it mean to be deliberate in following God's lead, and how can we practically apply this in our daily lives, as discussed in Psalm 143:8-10 and the sermon? [01:08:18]
4. How does the steadfast love of God serve as an anchor and motivation for believers, as described in Psalm 143:11-12 and Lamentations 3:22-24? [01:16:13]

### Application Questions
1. Reflecting on Psalm 143:1-2, how can you cultivate a daily habit of seeking God's mercy and acknowledging your need for His grace? What specific steps will you take to incorporate this into your prayer life? [51:55]
2. In what ways can you actively remember and meditate on God's past works in your life to inspire a deeper thirst for His presence? Share a specific instance where reflecting on God's faithfulness has strengthened your faith. [01:00:46]
3. How can you be more deliberate in following God's lead in your daily routine? Identify one practical change you can make to prioritize hearing God's steadfast love each morning before starting your day. [01:08:18]
4. Considering James 4:13-16, how can you adopt a humble attitude towards your future plans? What changes will you make to ensure you are seeking God's will rather than boasting about your own plans? [42:01]
5. How does the knowledge of God's steadfast love, as described in Lamentations 3:22-24, influence your daily actions and decisions? Share a specific way you can remind yourself of God's love each morning. [01:16:13]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually dry or distant from God. How did you respond, and what can you do differently in the future to actively seek God's presence during such times? [01:04:34]
7. How can you turn your New Year's resolutions into prayers, recognizing your dependence on God's power to fulfill them? Share one resolution you have for the new year and how you plan to submit it to God's will. [01:23:18]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Humility Before God
Humility is the soil in which divine mercy flourishes, acknowledging our need for God's grace. Recognizing our sinfulness and the futility of self-righteousness, we set the stage for a year of walking in dependence on God's sovereignty and mercy. This humility is a powerful stance, aligning us with the truth of our human condition and God's supremacy. [54:49]

James 4:6 - "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'"
Reflection: How can you practice humility in your daily interactions, and what might be the first step in acknowledging your dependence on God's mercy today?

Day 2: Longing for God's Presence
A deep thirst for God's presence is a sign of spiritual vitality, driving us to seek His intervention with urgency. Reflecting on God's past faithfulness inspires a desire for His power in our current circumstances. This active pursuit is like a parched land seeking water, a soul yearning for the refreshing touch of the divine. [01:02:27]

Psalm 63:1 - "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water."
Reflection: Can you identify an area in your life that feels like a 'dry and parched land'? How can you actively seek God's presence in this area today?

Day 3: Committing to Scripture Engagement
Deliberate engagement with Scripture is the pathway to divine wisdom and discerning God's will. A commitment to reading and studying the Bible, individually and within community, equips us to embrace God's instruction and intimately know His leadership. This practice is a conscious choice to immerse oneself in the transformative power of God's Word. [01:12:04]

Proverbs 2:1-5 - "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
Reflection: What is one step you can take this week to deepen your engagement with Scripture, and how might this practice change your perspective on daily life?

Day 4: Anchoring in God's Steadfast Love
God's unwavering love is the believer's anchor, shaping identity and actions. This steadfast love, new every morning, is a reminder of God's unbreakable covenant with His people. It motivates a life that seeks to glorify God and trust in His character, setting the tone for each day before the world's distractions can take hold. [01:16:38]

Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: How can you remind yourself of God's steadfast love first thing each morning, and what impact might this have on your day?

Day 5: Turning Resolutions into Prayers
Resolutions for the new year are best framed as prayers, acknowledging that living out these commitments is possible only through God's empowerment. This act of submission transforms resolutions into a dialogue with God, where desires and plans are aligned with His will, trusting in His strength to fulfill every resolve for good. [01:23:39]

Philippians 2:13 - "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
Reflection: What is one resolution you can turn into a prayer today, and how can you invite God to work through you to accomplish this goal?

Quotes

"Instead, I want the Lord to help us to have a biblical view of how to view the new year." [43:24] (Download)

"I stretch out my hands to you, verse 6. And this is sort of a universal sign of saying, God, I offer myself to you. And then he says, my soul thirsts for you as a parched land." [01:00:24] (Download)

"God, be merciful to me because when I read this and I hope when you read this, you have revealed to you all the times you have failed to pray like this, all the times that you have failed to be absolutely resolute according to God's word." [01:19:42] (Download)

"I love reading church history. I love reading how God moved in the past, but I am tired of reading about somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew the work of God. I want to experience the work of God." [01:05:46] (Download)

"The Bible teaches us that we have a responsibility in this to pursue him, not to just sit back and just wait for something to happen, but to actually be actively engaged in thirsting for him." [01:06:56] (Download)

"It's one thing to sit there and say you're thirsty. It's another thing to actually go looking for the water. And that's what David does here." [01:08:18] (Download)

"Bragging about an unknown future is what the Bible calls foolish, but being resolute according to God's word in the face of an unknown future, that is wise." [50:42] (Download)

"In 2024, we will be dependent on God's mercy. We will be desperate for God to work. We will be deliberate in following God's lead." [50:42] (Download)

"We need to be deliberate in putting ourselves in places where we're going to hear the word of God so that we might search after his wisdom, so that he might answer the prayer when we say, make known to me the way that I should go." [01:13:00] (Download)

"God's steadfast love was everything to David. Everything. The word steadfast love comes from this Hebrew word that means a loyal covenant love that God will not back out of, that God has eternally and immutably committed himself to for the people that are part of his covenant." [01:16:38] (Download)

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Transcript
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