‘The grass is greener on the other side. That’s what I thought before I took the ride’, sang Adekunle Gold.
Somehow, that seems to be the mentality at the start of every year. We reflect on the rubbish we’ve endured, the failures we’ve passed through and the promise of a brand-new start by the incoming year. Everyone pledges new resolutions to do more stuff like travel or get fitter or do more good things; generally just being a better specimen of ourselves than we previously were. And far too often, our resolutions break down and we’re back to being under the pressure of our new resolutions. Like the vicious cycle that it is, we give up on these resolutions because we are used to disappointing ourselves, and then we start to believe that maybe we never will be better versions of ourselves.
Okay, fair warning, I love country music. So you might be seeing a country music film reference in this write-up, as well as Mr Adekunle Gold’s. ‘But if I had known the life I was searching for, was looking me right in the eye….’, crooned Mr Adekunle Gold. You could hear the regret in his voice over the wasted years of ignorance. If only someone had told him ahead of time.
2Cor. 5:17 tells us:
“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come”
That “new” you that you needed, that you were searching for, is already yours in Christ Jesus. The life you would live now, according to NLT version of
Galatians 2:20
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”.
That vicious new-year-new-me epic fail compilation that plays in your head every 31st of December, will be crucified with Christ. This new you, exists by trusting the Son of God. Bear in mind, you will be entrusting your life to the Dude who literally died for you. In fact my main Man Jesus Christ was so confident that He said: “No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends”. Actually I dare you to find someone, anyone, that will go through the disgrace Jesus went through for you.
So, my admonition to you today is this: why don’t you start the year with Love? This big epitome of love: Jesus Christ. Start the year with Him. Back to my country music reference. A guy decided to leave his fiancé at the altar for fame. My man gets a contract to play a worldwide tour. He stupidly thought he had to choose between love and fame. Dude is selling out arenas and stadiums. But he forgot love behind. Seven years later, he is a multi-millionaire platinum record sales musician. But he gets through every concert by getting high. Why? Cos he missed love.
Say you are that guy. You’ve gotten caught up in the brand new smell of the new year that you forgot to bring Love with you.
This musician went back home finally, found out luckily that his ex was still single (with his baby girl, seven years old!) begged her to take him back, and they got married. He went back out on tour, this time, playing packed arenas, with his TALENTED 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER!!!! How’s that for a love story? The girl sat her father down, one of those days and asked him a simple question:
“Daddy”, she asked, “Why didn’t you take us along, the first time?”
“I was foolish”, the father replied.
“But I realized my mistake, and now I’m back home. Finally.”, he said.
You can guess the name of his next hit song, can’t you? Finally Home it was called.
So, I wanna ask you. We’re almost at the end of January. If you didn’t take Jesus Christ along at the start of the year, this is your chance. Go home. Go back to Jesus Christ. You can achieve anything you set out to achieve this year, with Jesus Christ. Phil 4:13
Rev 3:20 says He’s at the door,
knocking, waiting for you to open up.
Why don’t you open up
this minute?