Photo: mikemilton

On New Years Eve I watched a few hundred local runners brave frigid temperatures to take on a 4 mile course around our local Reeds Lake.

They called it their Resolution Run. As we watched them warming up I wondered what “Resolution Run” meant for them.

I say “them” because Di and I watched it all from inside our warm car that did the running for us.

Actually feel a bit uneasy raising the subject of resolutions. By now most of us have our own history and opinion about the value of New Year’s promises.

But there’s something about resolutions that may really make a difference for us in 2010.

Let’s imagine doing our own “resolution run” at a course marked out for us by the mile-markers of 1Corinthians 13. We begin by warming up together with the Apostle Paul who leads us in acknowledging that all of the faith, knowledge, and eloquence in the world is just a lot of noise without love.

We hear Paul tell us that our life can only reflect Christ in us if we show the kind of love that is marked by caring for others with “patience, and kindness (13:4). In addition, the Apostle urges us to realize that we will finish this course only by leaving behind love denying envy, boasting, pride, rudeness, self-seeking, and short-fused anger (4-5)…. (for openers)…,

Together we say…So be it resolved…

Only to feel the words stick in our throats. After all,

If Paul, himself, acknowledged in another letter that he had not been able to live up to his own goals (Philip 3:12):

1. How much of that kind of caring for others can we reasonably hope for?
2. Can we show the loving patience and kindness of Christ  in our own strength?
3. If not, is it possible that the most meaningful thing we can do…

Is not to resolve… but to pray…

Lord please help us loving patience and kindness that reflects your ability to do in us—to the honor of your Son—what we could not do in our own strength,

And please, Father, as we consider asking you to love through us… please help us even to pray… for the ability to show the loving patience and kindness that gives honor to your Son and Spirit in us…

What do you think? Is this a place to start again? Or am I already missing something?

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