What’s your new year’s resolution?  After a few days into the new year, how’s it going?

I think resolutions are a set up for failure.  Let me explain.  Resolutions are dangerous.  If following through on a resolution is up to me, I’m in trouble.  I’m not sure I have ever been able to follow through on a new year’s resolution – and I’m 49 years into trying.

It brings up another question: how do we deal with failure?  If we are honest, failure is universal.  The next three weeks, our worship and message will focus on Kingdom of God community (Grace, Truth, and Love).  Grace us up first.

How does God see our failures?  God’s grace, truth, and love is critical in navigating our failure.  For Sunday, read John 1:14-18, Ephesians 2:4-10 and 3:16-21.  How many times is grace mentioned in these passages?  How do you understand grace?

Grace is difficult to understand.  It is better experienced.  Maybe it helps to see how Jesus responds to Peter’s failures (fleeing from Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, denying knowing Jesus three times, etc).  Read John 21.  How does Jesus respond to Peter’s failures and how does he restore Peter?

Henry and Richard Blackaby in their Experiencing God devotional put it this way, “Jesus does not need your resolutions, your recommitments, or your promises to try harder.  If your resolve to obey God last year did not help you to be faithful, it will not make you successful this year.  Jesus simply asks for your love.”

Can’t wait til Sunday to see you and share in God’s grace together.