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Oh
that our lives were as manageable as our
computers. Rather than making resolutions on
January 1 we would instead be deleting, undoing,
rebooting, and anything else that would assist us
in undoing mistakes of the past and getting
ourselves back on the right track. As I wrote this
message, something invaded my computer and I had
to back up all of my data, replace the hard drive,
and while I was at it I installed a new operating
system. There are some aspects of my life that I
would welcome such a renewal in. How about you?
In reality, our
lives are much more redeemable than our
computers. Our New Year's resolution time falls
within the season of the Epiphany. The Greek
epiphaneia means a manifestation or showing,
particularly of a divine being. The Magi were the
first non-Jews to encounter Jesus and the first
people of any race to comprehend his divine
nature. Computers had yet to be invented, but the
Magi sought out and paid homage to the child who
was God come to earth to redeem faulted mankind;
the ultimate “undo” for each of us.
While correcting
our computers often takes hours of struggle and
trying to figure it out, the redemption of our
lives takes only our accepting it. The challenge
is how we accept it and how we prepare ourselves
to receive the redemptive love of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. As Episcopalians we are
blessed with our Baptismal Covenant that both
defines our relationship with our Savior and
outlines for us not acts to earn Christ's
redeeming love but how to manage our lives in
order to live in that love.
Rather than making a
list of New Year's resolutions consider reviewing
your Baptismal Covenant and reflecting on some
adjustments to your life that will put you more in
alignment with that covenant.
The Baptismal
Covenant enumerates ways in which to live, with
God’s help, in thanksgiving for his gracious
love:
To continue in the
apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking
of bread, and in the prayers…
To persevere in
resisting evil, and, whenever we fall into sin,
repenting and returning to the Lord…
To proclaim by
word and example the Good News of God in Christ…
To seek and serve
Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as
ourselves…
To strive for
justice and peace among all people, and respect
the dignity of every human being…
We further confirm
each of these commitments by acknowledging our
inability to meet them without the assistance of
our creator. We respond to each element of the
Baptismal Covenant with, “I will, with God's
help.” While computers have a tendency to let us
down at all the wrong times, God never does. And,
we can get it all right through Christ and the
Holy Spirit. “I can do all things through him who
strengthens me.” Phil 4:13 That’s a whole lot
better guarantee than you will get from Microsoft
or Intel. And best yet; it’s an eternal promise,
no time limits, no strings attached
Note: A special
thanks to Thomas L. Friedman, “New York Times”
columnist, for a totally unrelated article that
sparked this train of thought. |
