Well, here we are at the start of another year.
2022 is here.
2021 is over.
And as we begin this new year, I want to encourage you
and share with you a little practical wisdom from God's Word.
So my message this morning is going to draw mainly from various Proverbs in the Bible,
and it will be a very practical word.
Let me begin by asking you a question.
Have you taken some time to reflect on 2021?
Some of you might be thinking,
I don't have time to sit down and reflect on last year.
And besides, I'm not sure I want to remember a lot of what happened in the past year.
But I want to encourage you this morning,
taking time to reflect on the past year is wise.
Proverbs 14, verse 8.
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways.
Proverbs 14, verse 15.
The prudent give thought to their steps.
Proverbs 21, verse 29.
The upright give thought to their ways.
Proverbs 4, verse 26.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet,
and be steadfast in all your ways.
At least these four times,
God speaks through Solomon to tell us
that it is wise,
it is prudent,
to give thought to our ways.
That is, to take time to think about the paths that we have walked,
the decisions that we have made,
the things we have done,
and where those decisions have brought us.
What has been the result of them?
So taking time to reflect on this past year
is not just a helpful idea,
it's much more.
We might even call it a spiritual discipline,
a good habit of grace.
But let's think about why for a moment.
There are some people who go through life
and make the same mistakes
over and over and over again.
They might pause and wonder briefly at times,
why doesn't this work for me?
It seems to work for other people.
There are other people who seem to be successful
in this area of life,
but why not me?
Oh well.
And they just keep on doing what they've always done.
Proverbs 26, verse 11.
As a dog returns to its vomit,
so fools repeat their folly.
Think about that.
Have you ever watched a dog do that?
Puke up something on the floor
and then sniff it and lick it,
and then walk away,
and only one minute later,
come back and sniff it and lick it again.
Dogs do that.
It's almost like they're so captivated
by the smell of things
that any intelligence that they have
is just bypassed,
and ooh,
what's that over there?
It's like they completely forgot
that it's there because of them
and that it's no good.
And, says Solomon,
people can be like that too.
We do foolish and stupid things,
and then we do them again,
and again,
and again.
just kind of sniffing our way through life
like a dumb dog
who learns nothing from his experiences
and continues to forget
what he's gone through.
So coming back to 2021,
there are two things that we can do.
One is,
to more or less,
relive it
again,
and again,
and again.
Make the same mistakes.
Do the same dumb things.
Give into the same
mindless sniffings.
Scratch the same recurring itches.
Say yes to the same regular urges.
Or,
we can stop.
We can break the cycle of foolishness
by giving careful thought
to our ways,
to the things that we have done,
the decisions that we have made,
where those decisions brought us,
what has been the result of them,
and what can I learn
from all that I experienced in 2021?
It's only then
that we have the opportunity to change.
To grow.
To become wise.
Prudent.
To become successful in that area of life
that's been a continual struggle
or challenge for us.
And so if you haven't done it yet,
I want to challenge you
to take some time,
whether a morning,
or an afternoon,
or an evening,
whatever works for you,
to just sit down
and quietly reflect
on this past year.
Having your calendar out
can be helpful
to jog your memory
and trigger memories
of what you experienced
this past year.
For some of you,
a paper and pen
might be helpful
to keep you focused
and lessen distractions.
You might try and list out
a few of the wins
of the year
and also a few of the failures.
What are those weaknesses?
Those opportunities
for growth
in your life?
What can you do differently
this year,
2022,
to grow
in those areas?
And of course,
I would encourage you
to pray about all of this
as you do it.
As I went through
that process again
this past week,
I was reminded
of just how good
God has been to me
and to my family
this past year.
And I was also reminded
of how merciful
and forgiving
and patient
God has been to me
this past year
with all my failures,
sins,
shortcomings,
sins.
So give careful thought
to your ways,
to your steps.
But this doesn't mean
just to reflect
on the ways
and the steps
that we've taken
in the past.
It also means
that we should give
careful thought
to the ways
and steps
that we are about
to take
now
and in the days ahead.
Inevitably,
as you look back
on 2021,
you'll remember
and you'll see things,
steps that you've done
that you wish
you hadn't,
things that you said
that you wish
you didn't,
ways you went down
that you wish
you could go back on.
And for those things,
praise God
for his grace
and for his forgiveness
through Jesus,
our Lord.
But now,
this is a new year.
This year
will be full
of new decisions
to make,
new opportunities
to do things
differently
and better.
You'll have opportunities
to get off
some of those
old,
tired,
and well-worn paths
that have been
getting you nowhere
and instead
to cut some new trails,
trails that by God's grace
may take you
where you really want
to go
with your life
and where he
wants you to go
with your life.
But to make
those changes,
you first need
to stop
and give careful
thought
to your ways,
to the steps
that you will take
today
and tomorrow
and in the weeks
and months ahead.
And so,
I want to encourage you
to set some goals
for 2022.
There's more than one way
that you could do this.
You could write down
a handful of goals
for the whole year
on a page
or you could sit down
and write out a few goals
for each month
as it begins.
Some of you might be thinking,
goals?
Who does that?
Goals are for CEOs
and people who take life
too seriously.
I don't need goals.
And I used to think
like that myself.
I'll just kind of do
and feel my way
through each day
as it comes.
But that's not really
giving careful thought
to your ways.
That's called
flying by the seat
of your pants.
And eventually
that merry-go-round
gets tiresome
and you realize
that you're getting nowhere
with many of the things
that are most important
in life.
One of my favorite quotes
that's not from the Bible
is,
if you aim at nothing,
you will hit it
every time.
And it's true.
Goals
lead to habits.
Little decisions
that we make
about how we spend
our time
every day
and every week.
Habits
like those
lead to progress
in whatever
we're aiming at.
Do you want
to make progress
in 2022?
Do you want
to grow
in 2022?
Or do you want
to fritter away
half the year
scrolling through
news
and social media,
watching TV,
playing games?
the wisdom
of the prudent
is to give thought
to their ways.
And so set some goals
for this year.
And I want to encourage you
to set at least
one goal
that's not a work project,
but a character
growth
kind of goal.
as you look
back on 2021,
what did your
decisions reveal
about your character?
What character
quality
would you like
to grow most in
in this coming year?
Make that a matter
of prayer
and focus on it
this year.
It may lead you
to listen
a little differently
as you read
through your Bible
again this year.
It may lead you
to seek out
the wisdom
of those who
have that quality
and maybe even
make some much
needed changes
in your life.
As we think
about goals,
we must also
admit that it's
possible to have
a whole page
full of goals
and to accomplish
every single
one of them
by the end
of the year
and yet have
wasted the entire
year.
Goals only
get you
somewhere good
if they are
worthy goals.
Solomon's not
just telling us
to be intentional
here,
but to be wise,
to give careful
thought to our
ways and steps
so that we
take the ways
and steps
that are good,
that are right,
that are most
beneficial,
that are most
important in life.
life.
And our goals
should reflect
what's most
important in life.
Leaving Solomon
for a moment
and going to
Moses,
Psalm 90,
verse 12,
a psalm of
Moses in which
he prays to the
Lord, he prays
this,
teach us to
number our
days that we
may gain a
heart of wisdom.
wisdom.
I love these
words.
First of all,
a heart of
wisdom.
It's one thing
to have a
wise mind.
It's one thing
to know in
every situation
what you ought
to do,
what you should
do,
but it's another
thing to have a
heart of wisdom,
to deep down
love to do
what is best
and desire to
do what is
good.
for most of
you,
these things I'm
sharing with you
this morning,
I'm sure you've
heard these before,
you've already
got that wisdom
in your head,
but have you
got it in your
heart?
Is it in your
heart to do
these things,
to live wisely
and productively
in this next
year,
to accomplish
much that is
good and
right for the
glory of Jesus
this year?
you might
wonder,
well,
how do I
get wisdom
not just in
my head,
but in my
heart?
And God
tells us here
through Moses'
prayer how it
can work.
He says,
Moses prays,
teach us to
number our
days,
that,
so that we
may gain a
heart of
wisdom.
So it is
possible to
gain a
heart of
wisdom.
How does
it work?
By learning
from the
Lord to
number our
days.
It is
possible to
break the
cycle of
going back
to sniffing
and licking
at your own
vomit,
to gain a
heart of
wisdom,
to stop being
a fool,
to stop doing
the same
stupid things
that we do
over and
over again.
and it
comes by
learning to
number our
days.
For some
people it
takes a
terminal
illness to
bring them
to the
place where
they finally
realize that
every single
day is a
precious gift
from God
and that
they've
wasted many
of them.
think about
your life.
Each new
day is part
of a
limited edition
series that
will soon
come to an
end, both
for you and
for me.
2021 is a
good example
of this.
It's already
been spent.
It's done.
Your 2021,
my 2021,
is written
in the
history books
of heaven
and it
cannot be
changed.
Teach us
to number
our days.
Already
today,
there are
only 363
days left
until 2023.
there are
only 29
and a half
days left
until we
start February
again.
Blink
and it'll
be spring.
Blink
again and
harvest will
be drawing
to a close.
Before you
know it,
we'll be back
here again
saying the
same kinds
of things
about 2023.
But here's
the kicker.
None of us
truly knows
just how many
days we have
left.
And we'd
be fools
to assume
that we all
will live
to the
ripe old
age of
96.
Let's not
forget also
that health
and strength
often start
going downhill
even decades
sometimes
before we
get to 96.
You might
think,
well,
I'll give
more of my
time and
attention to
those things
that are
important
later.
When I'm
a little bit
older,
when I've
got more
time for
them.
but when
you get
to older,
you might
not have
the health,
the strength,
the mind
to do
those things
anymore.
Truly,
God could
take any
one of us
out of this
world any
day.
It could
happen by a
tragic accident
or by
critical organ
failure,
you name it.
we are
fools to
presume that
God will
give us
more time
down the
road to
do the
most important
things in
life,
the things
that he's
called us
to do
today.
It's only
when we
learn to
number our
days that
we realize
what is
most important
in life.
Not how
much money
is in our
bank accounts
or how
nice to
houses or
the vehicles,
not what
level our
video game
character is,
not what
the best
golf score
was or
whether we
won or
lost the
sports games
that we
played.
It's only
when we
come to
see that
our days
are running
out that
we realize
what is
most important
in life
and it's
then that
we begin
to set
worthy
goals of
what we
might do
with the
days that
we have.
goals that
lead to
habits that
take us
where we
really want
to go in
life and
where the
Lord wants
us to go
in life so
that we can
look back on
2022 in
years time and
say thank you
Lord for all
the worthwhile
things that you
enabled me to
accomplish this
past year.
back to
Moses for a
second.
There's
something
humbling
here.
It's in the
way Moses
says it.
He doesn't
say thank you
Lord that you
have taught me
the lesson of
how to number
my days and
that you have
given me a
heart of
wisdom as
if he's
already figured
this out as
if he's
already got a
heart of
wisdom.
him.
No.
Moses dare I
say is even
humbler than
we are.
He includes
himself in the
prayer.
Teach us
including me
says Moses to
number my
days so that
I may gain a
heart of
wisdom.
I don't know
when he wrote
this or how
old he was or
what had
happened in
his life but
there came that
time when
Moses admitted
to the Lord
that he had
need for
wisdom in
his heart.
That he had
need for the
Lord to show
him what the
span of his
life really
was so that
he could live
more wisely.
Will you make
that your
prayer this
year?
Teach me
Lord to
number my
days so that
I may gain a
heart of
wisdom.
I wonder
what you're
thinking right
now as you
hear all this.
Reflect on
2021.
Set goals for
2022.
Well I know
that's right.
I know that's
good.
But
Proverbs 22
verse 13
the sluggard
says there's a
lion outside
I'll be killed
in the public
square.
26 verse 13
a sluggard
says there's a
lion in the
road a fierce
lion roaming the
streets.
Well I would
get out and
work but I
can't.
It's not
safe.
Excuses.
Now this might
sound a little
strange to us.
I mean if there
actually was a
lion roaming the
streets it would
be prudent not to
go there and put
ourselves in danger.
We wouldn't
typically call such
a person a
sluggard or
lazy.
So is there
really a lion out
in the streets
or is maybe this
person more like
Chicken Little?
The sky is
falling.
There's a lion out
in the streets.
Or maybe like the
boy who cried wolf.
There's a lion.
Look at me.
Give to me.
I can't work.
I don't know.
Whether there's a
lion or not.
I don't know.
But the point I
think Solomon is
making is that the
lazy person makes
excuses.
He doesn't get to
work.
I would do that.
But there's a lion
outside.
I wonder what some
of our excuses might
be today.
I would take some
time to reflect and
to set goals for this
coming year.
I know that's good.
I know that's what I
should do.
But I haven't got
time.
I'm too busy.
I would do it.
But I've got all
these kids to look
after.
And they need my
attention constantly.
I would do it.
But with all the
cold weather that
we've been having and
the short days, the
lack of sunshine, I
just have no energy.
I won't be able to
concentrate.
I would do it.
But how can I make
goals when there's
COVID in the streets?
Or when COVID
regulations are
constantly changing?
What if something
changes and I'm not
even able to make
my goal?
Maybe I shouldn't
set any goals in the
first place.
Excuses.
Let me be blunt and
frank.
Let's not deceive
ourselves with
excuses.
Let's not comfort
ourselves with
excuses in this
next year.
If you can't make
the time for the
things that are most
important in life,
if you can't make
time for the things
that are wise in
life, then you are
a fool.
fool.
And you will suffer the
fate of fools and you
will repeat your
folly again and
again and again as a
dog returns to its
vomit.
You'll be like the
lumberjack who says,
I can't stop even for a
moment to sharpen my
axe.
I know it's getting
duller, but I've just
got too many trees to
chop.
Or you'll be like the
motorist who refuses to
pull over and check the
map.
Got to keep moving.
I'll find my way.
As long as I'm moving,
I'll get there fast.
And yet, what if you're
driving in the wrong
direction?
No, we must not make
excuses.
We must not put off
prayerful reflection and
planning.
We must give careful
thought to our ways,
past ways, present ways,
and future ways.
We must pray like Moses
did and ask the Lord to
teach us to number our
days and to give us that
heart of wisdom.
In the great race of life,
we might look around and
see all the hairs bouncing
around here and there at
breakneck speed.
And we might fear that if
we don't just join in with
them, we're going to miss
out.
We won't be able to keep
up.
I won't be able to keep
up if I take time to stop
and pray or to reflect or
to set goals.
I'll be like the turtle in
the great race of life.
But who wins the race in
the end?
The hair.
Or the tortoise.
James chapter 3, verse 13.
Who is wise and
understanding among you?
Let them show it by their
good life.
By deeds done in the
humility that comes from
wisdom.
What good will you aim to
do with God's help in 2022?
What deeds will be done by
your hands in this coming
year?
Ephesians 2, verse 10.
For we are God's handiwork
created in Christ Jesus to do
good works which God prepared in
advance for us to do.
Let me remind you and
encourage you this morning.
At the start of the year,
God has it in his mind and
even in his plan for you to do
good work for him this year.
God has it in his life.
So let's not, as we often say,
take it easy.
Let's not say, don't work too
hard.
Let's not say, there's COVID out
there, I can't.
Let's not say, let's not
let's instead say to one
another, brother, sister, your
days are numbered.
Look, man, Jesus is coming back
soon.
Who then is the faithful and
wise servant whom the master
has put in charge of the
servants in his household to
give them their food at the
proper time?
It will be good for that
servant whose master finds him
doing so when he returns.
I don't know who said it, but
my mind often goes back to this
quote.
Only one life will soon be
passed and only what's done for
Christ will last.
And so may God fill us with his
spirit and give us power and
grace and wisdom and love for a
fruitful and productive year.
year for his glory and for the
good of the people all around
us.
Let's pray.
Father in heaven, thank you for
the gift of life.
Thank you for all the precious
moments that we've had over the
past year.
Sweet moments of relationship.
Thank you for even the challenges
and the trials that you used in
our life to strengthen us, to
deepen our faith, to grow us in
our character.
Thank you that you love us enough
to let us go through hardship at
times.
Only you know, Lord, what 2022
holds for us as individuals and as a
church, but we commit the year to you, Lord. We pray and ask that you would have your hand on us
and bless this year for each one of us.
We ask that you would lead us to make good decisions, wise plans,
and to succeed in those things that are pleasing to you one day at a time.
We ask this in Jesus' name and for his honor. Amen.