The explanation to the reasons why the so-called New Year’s resolutions for a closer walk with God don’t come into play?
The intention to draw closer to the Almighty and become intimate runs across many hearts all over the world.
Let’s see an expression in the Bible, similar to own thirst and hunger for this intimate relationship expressed by many around nations and generations.
“As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God! I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” (Psalm 42:1-2).
As a result of the individual desire to experience God in intimacy, a few ignorantly decided to make objects of worship the Bible refers to as idols, such as images to worship. Some of us idolize other things in life, develop the passion, and engage our hearts and minds on things like self, money, other obsessions, which take the place of God in our hearts, preventing us to pay attention to knowing Him. The Bible clearly states, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). These few examples contribute to the deterrents of intimacy with God, resulting in the inability for full knowledge and relationship with Him.
In explaining some more of the reasons many of us are not able to keep our New Year’s resolutions or enjoy intimacy with God; Jesus expressed some points:
”For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them” (Matthew13:15).
Furthermore, Jesus gave four illustrations to describe different ways people perceive and respond to the truth of the Word through the parable of the sower.
The first illustration described the seeds that fell on the pathway, and the birds of the air ate them all. This group of people is disinterested, full of bias, unbelief, and ignorant of the Word. The little they absorbed ends up evaporating.
The second group represents the seeds that fell on stony places without much soil. The plants shot up quickly, but the sun- dried them up easily because they had no root. This group of people accepted the truth of the gospel; they attend Church and get excited about the things of God. However, they remain spiritual babies, dull, and shallow in Christian maturity. When problems came, and their faith was under testing, they ended up in spiritual dullness.
The third group is the seeds that fell among thorns; the thorns grew and choked them. These people heard the word, accepted the truth quickly. They encountered the riches, cares, and attractions in the world, which choked the message out of their lives, and they resolved into spiritual dullness.
The fourth group of seeds fell on the good ground; and it produced fruits that regenerated into hundreds. These are people who hear the truth, study to understand more of the learning, and live by their knowledge. When the wind of life blows these stand firm in their faith, they remain unmovable in their Christian life and stay intimate with God.
The faith and resolution that lasts and endures the waves of life is the absolute trust in Jesus, living in the obedience to His Word, and prayer.
As we continue with the Blog, the Lord will give us more exposition about the secret of intimacy with Him, Amen.