New Year. Well here we are again - by Revd Charmaine Braatvedt

New Year - Well here we are again
By Rev Charmaine Braatvedt
3rd January, 2009

Well here we are again.

Another year gone and a new one just begun.
I wonder whether you have made new year's resolutions?
I wonder whether you can remember the new year's resolutions you made last year?
I wonder whether you have been successful in keeping the resolutions you made last year?

The word resolution is an interesting one:
re meaning to do again and

solve meaning to find the answer to a problem.
So does a new year's resolution mean that at the start of 2010, we once again try to solve a problem with how we live our lives that will improve who we are, and how we do the life we have been given?

Perhaps you might like to share with the person sitting next to you whether you have made any resolutions for 2010

In the Gospel reading for today Simeon in the Gospel story was looking forward to the consolation of Israel.

Anna spoke to all about Jesus who were looking forward to the redemption of Israel.

I wonder what you are looking forward to, hoping for, this year?

Samuel Johnson once said:

“Hope is itself a species of happiness and perhaps the only happiness this world offers.”
The title for today's sermon is the truism that:
if you do what you've always done you will get what you have always got.

The good news is that for some things in our lives we simply need to keep on keeping on, because we are happy with doing what we are doing because the outcome pleases us.

For example, I spend a lot of time with my family and I am happy to keep spending time with them because I find that when I do I get to know them better and share in their lives in a very privileged way.
Let's take a few moments to reflect on those areas of our lives where we feel a degree of contentment,

where we are satisfied with how things are panning out for us.

Perhaps you might like to list 4 things on the piece of paper you have been given that you like about your life at the moment.
………………………………………………………………….

Now however, the challenging news is that if we want the unsatisfactory things in our lives to improve,

we will have to make some changes so that we can effect a different outcome.
Last year I resolved to do more exercise and to spend more time with friends.
I have been spectacularly unsuccessful at both.

Now if I want to solve or re- solve the problem of not doing enough exercise

and not spending enough time with friends,

then I have to change something about the way I live my life or I will find that at the end of 2010 my success rate will be as poor as it has been this year.

Today’s sermon is going to be somewhat interactive.

Let's take a few moments of silence, to identify one area in your spiritual life that brings a sense of peace and contentment to you. Jot this down on your piece of paper. Perhaps finding God in nature or enjoying the fellowship of other Christians at church.

……………………………………………………………….
Now perhaps you might like to identify 1 area in your faith walk that you feel may need some attention.

Write this down on the reverse side of your piece of paper.

For example,
Would you like to see your prayer- life improved?

Would you like to read your bible more regularly?
Would you like to achieve a greater sense of belonging in church?
would you like to be more intentional in the practical application of your faith ?
Would you like to work more ethically?
Would you like to use your gifts more intentionally?
Would you like to do more good works?
give more to the poor?
Would you like to improve your relationship with someone?

Would you like to actively care more for the environment?
All of these would help you get closer to God.
The answer to this question may form a spiritual resolution for 2010.

You could write it out by completing the following statement:

This year I would like to focus on …

so that I might deepen my relationship with God.

………………………………………………………………..

You may be asking yourself, why do we need to do this?

If we are to take our faith seriously and to become more Christ-like and to grow into his likeness in the course of our lives we need to do so in an intentional way.

One way to do this is to set ourselves spiritual goals which we can assess at some point.

Now seems as good a time as any to do just that.

And remember, we do not embark on this spiritual journey alone.

This Christmas, the Messiah has come for you and me,

just as he came for Simeon and Anna so long ago, offering us the hope of consolation and redemption .

At this time Jesus is offering to come into your life and bring about changes and transformations that will draw you into a closer relationship with him and bring you hope, happiness and peace.
………………………………………………………………..
This being the case, let us ask ourselves:
what do I need to change for this area of my faith journey to improve?

Remember, if you do what you have always done then you will get what you have always got.

Research has shown us that if we can stick to a resolve for three months, then we have every chance of it becoming an established behaviour pattern in our lives.

We are creatures of habit, but also creatures of change.

We can do better if we choose to, so let's resolve to improve our walk with God in some tangible way this year.

A friend shared with me that at her New Year’s Eve Party all who attended were encouraged to write down their resolutions on a piece of paper which they were to bring back to next year’s new year’s eve party and then see how well they had done in keeping them.
So, here's a suggestion:
Those who would like to seriously improve an aspect of their walk with God let us ask God to help us in this resolve.

………………………………………………………………….

While we know that nothing is written in stone, let's reflect that seriousness by writing something on stone.

I’m not suggesting you write your whole goal because that's private, but rather that you draw some symbol or word or letter that you understand to encapsulate your goal or resolution on the stone you have been given and then that you place the stone you have been given in this glass jar.

Remember it takes three months to turn a resolution into a habit. Now it so happens that Easter is three months away.

These stones will remain in this jar in the church until Easter Sunday when you can reclaim your stone and evaluate for yourself the progress you have made in achieving your new year’s spiritual resolution.

Today, we will pray over these stones and ask God to help each of us as we strive to make our resolutions a reality, a habit in three months time.
I know this sounds a little strange or unusual but hey why not give it a go?
We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
If we do what we have always done, we will get what we have always got. It is time to do something differently in the hope that in doing so, we might celebrate a different outcome in our walk with God on Easter Day, three months away.

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