{"id":11025,"date":"2020-01-01T17:10:50","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T01:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/uncommongodcommongood\/?p=11025"},"modified":"2020-01-01T17:10:50","modified_gmt":"2020-01-02T01:10:50","slug":"resolve-to-boast-in-the-lord-in-the-new-year-not-vain-ambition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/uncommongodcommongood\/2020\/01\/resolve-to-boast-in-the-lord-in-the-new-year-not-vain-ambition\/","title":{"rendered":"Resolve to Boast in the Lord in the New Year, Not Vain Ambition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>
\u201cTwo New Year\u2019s Resolutions postcards,\u201d early twentieth century; Wikimedia<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

We often formulate New Year\u2019s resolutions with the intent of kicking a bad habit or getting a head start on improving our lot in life by way of exercise, economic well-being, moral enterprise, and more. If we are realistic and determined enough, we may succeed in attaining our goals. When we are victorious, it is quite easy to boast in our hard work and tenacity. How often do we resolve to boast in the Lord for his mercies in helping us overcome our weaknesses, rather than in vain ambition?<\/p>\n

Several church celebrations occur at New Year\u2019s that account for this theme of boasting in the Lord. The Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord begins with an all-night vigil beginning on New Year\u2019s Eve in Orthodox circles. The Solemnity of Mary, which honors her as theotokos<\/em>, that is as Mother of God or God-bearer (depending on the translation\/theological rendering), takes place on January 1st<\/sup>. In times long past, Christendom celebrated the Feast of Fools, which turned upside down the leadership structure so that those of lower ecclesial rank presided over the liturgy during the feast. For more on these church celebrations, refer here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These three events highlight God\u2019s upside-down kingdom. As the Feast of Fools served to remind God\u2019s people, \u201c\u2026God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;\u00a0God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong\u201d (1 Corinthians 1:27; ESV). Certainly, this was the case in God\u2019s choosing of Mary to be the mother of the Christ, who himself came to reign as a servant (Mark 10:45) rather than as a slave master.<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s words that close 1 Corinthians 1 resonate with Mary and Jesus\u2019 words about the nature of God\u2019s upside-down kingdom. Drawing from Jeremiah 9:23-24, Paul writes that the nature of God\u2019s upside-down kingdom is intended to lead us to boast in the Lord, not ourselves: \u201cLet the one who boasts, boast in the Lord\u201d (1 Corinthians 1:31; ESV). We find Mary and Jesus boasting in God for how he miraculously raises up the lowly and reveals to them his mysteries. Mother Mary marvels that God \u201chas brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate\u201d (Luke 1:52; ESV). The Lord Jesus praises God:\u00a0\u201cI thank you, Father,\u00a0Lord of heaven and earth, that\u00a0you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and\u00a0revealed them to little children\u201d (11:25; ESV).<\/p>\n

How might these reflections on boasting shape us at the beginning of a new year, including in making and pursuing New Year\u2019s resolutions? Given that we do not know how long we have in this world, whether we have another day, month, or year, we need to guard against boasting in ourselves, but rather boast in the Lord. Let\u2019s take to heart the words of James, the Lord Jesus\u2019 half-brother, who exhorts us to guard against boasting in ourselves and our various plans, submitting all things to the Lord in humble obedience:<\/p>\n

Come now, you who say,\u00a0\u201cToday or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit\u201d\u2014\u00a0yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For\u00a0you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.\u00a0Instead you ought to say,\u00a0\u201cIf the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.\u201d\u00a0As it is, you boast in your arrogance.\u00a0All such boasting is evil.\u00a0So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin (James 4:13-17; ESV).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, as we resolve to carry through with New Year\u2019s resolutions and other plans through the days, weeks and months ahead, let\u2019s be sure to add, \u201cIf the Lord wills.\u201d That way, we are more likely to guard against boasting in ourselves, but in him: \u201cLet the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We often formulate New Year\u2019s resolutions with the intent of kicking a bad habit or getting a head start on improving our lot in life by way of exercise, economic well-being, moral enterprise, and more. If we are realistic and determined enough, we may succeed in attaining our goals. When we are victorious, it is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1284,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nResolve to Boast in the Lord in the New Year, Not Vain Ambition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As we resolve to carry through with New Year\u2019s resolutions and other plans through the days, weeks and months ahead, let\u2019s be sure to add, \u201cIf the Lord wills.\u201d That way, we are more likely to guard against boasting in ourselves, but in him: \u201cLet the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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