Making Resolutions

Day 124: Psalm 101-104

Psalm 101 resonates with me because it is filled with promises that the writer makes to the Lord. Promises that he makes to himself. Resolutions, so to speak. The speaker tells the Lord (these are excerpts):

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
I will praise you with songs.
I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.
I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.
I will search for faithful people to be my companions.

And in Psalm 103:
With my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

These psalmist writers make promises--commitments--to the Lord and to themselves. They promise the Lord how they will behave, how they will live, and what specificially they will do to live a life in accordance with God's will and His laws. They make written vows to themselves and to God. I think it's important for us, as Christians, to commit to live a life in accordance with God's will, too. Speaking these things--or writing them down--can help us remember how we are called to live. Right now we are in the season of New Year's Resolutions, and while I don't typically make them (they're too hard to maintain for long), I do think it's important to write down goals and guidelines for how we want to live our life. When we do, we are essentially making a vow to ourselves and to God. They can kind of function as a "rule of life" on our behavior, attitudes, and mindset. We even know when we break them because we know what they are. I encourage you to set some goals for yourself on how you want to live your life. I know that I'm going to do so.