A New Year with an Old Yawning or with a New Yearning?

The clock is moving very fast. Things have already settled in Times Square and in the Atlanta. The dropped apple and peach have long been restored to their resting-places from which they will be aroused in a year’s time for their ephemeral display. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die; .." Eccl 3:1-2a. To many of us, the year 2011 is simply an event of the past, an odd collection of mainly uneventful activities and incidents whose recollection elicits not much more than a yawn, a lazy expression of listless ennui.

New Years are landmarks of life, chronological pointers along our brief journey. That's one way to look at them. Another perspective is to view them as God's markers in our lives, as guidelines of the riches of the manifold expressions of His kindness to us in Jesus Christ. Within our church, some have been cured of cancer and others have recuperated from other health matters. Some have received employment and others promotions. Still, others have been the recipients of continuing safety and special giftedness for overcoming new challenges on their jobs. To some, much-needed vehicles were granted and for others, relationships have been restored. For these and other temporal blessings, we are eternally grateful to our generous Lord.

But, when we think of it, how do these ministrations of God's grace to us identify us as those having that peculiar status of being in Christ? Doesn't the Lord also extend similar tokens of his common grace to unbelievers? Doesn't He truly also bestow upon them "… the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, .." with the intent of leading them to repentance? Of course he does; this is the explicit assertion of the apostle Paul in Rom 2:4. However, as Christians, aren't we to seek those graces that will transform us more and more into Christ's image? In other words, are we not required to pursue those means of grace that will equip us for heaven? Yes. Certainly. Beyond the shadow of a doubt.

As we reflect on the way we lived last year, the following questions may serve to stimulate our memories:
• has Christ dominated and defined the central yearning of our hearts?
• have we sought to glorify and enjoy him in every dimension of our lives?
• have we spent the time, money, energy, abilities and opportunities He gave us, in such ways to show that we are earthly pilgrims governed by a heavenly agenda and heading to our heavenly home whence “we await [our] Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”? Phi 3:21
• how have our family members, friends, workers, in short, our neighbors, viewed us? As demanding, critical, correcting, law-thumping, Bible-quoting, overbearing diehards or as simple, serious, sincere though stumbling followers of Christ, not having all the answers to life but eager to point them to the One who does, Jesus Christ Himself?
• what major victories have we had over particular sins with which we were plagued?
• have our wives and children been strengthened in their relationship with Christ because of us?
• Etc. Etc.

We must admit, these are tough questions. However, we must also concede that these are the real questions we need to ask ourselves.

The truth is, we are a people of the tongue; our talk far outstrips our walk. But to speak glowingly about the Bible; to chatter glibly and proudly about (our knowledge of) the distinctives of Reformed Theology; to clamor incessantly about our recent acquisition of theological apps and software, books and magazines, without demonstrating a genuine passion for Christ, his gospel and his people in all areas of our lives, is to have virtual religion- a religion that resembles and simulates authentic Christianity but that is far from it. The virtually religious are distractions to Christ and his cross; they are "noisy gongs" and "clanging cymbals” whose output is not the clear and cogent declaration of the gospel but an empty and grotesque distortion of it. Virtual religion is one lacking a fides viva, a living faith, religion that is banal and bilious, more inert and insipid than endless replays of elevator music.

Let's face it, we all like to be recognized and to be acclaimed by those among whom we live and move. We like to be known as those with the latest theological trinkets and the newest stuff, as the people "in the know." We have an inbred and stubborn inclination to self-glorification. We are so corrupt that we are adept at camouflaging and presenting our sinful desires as captivating expressions of genuine faith. Because of these iniquities, our battle must be in that area in which these desires take place, in the heart, that fulcrum of faith, Rom 10:10, that source of thought and action, whether evil, Mt 15:19, or good, 22:37. This is the fundamental arena of our Christian struggle.

Our challenge therefore in the year 2012 is to learn from the previous year and to embrace Christ wholeheartedly as the very meaning of life -".. to live is Christ." Phi 1:21. Unless this truth becomes the dynamic controlling our thinking, attitudes, words, actions and motives, we will have a ho-hum, yawning religion characterized by perfunctory and pretentious practices, devoid of genuine spiritual robustness and vitality, an attractive showpiece in superficial circles but lacking godly power. Like the Gnostic teaching corrupting the church at Colossae, "These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion .., but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." Col 2:23. On the other hand, to have a true yearning after authentic religion is to have died and to have our lives hidden with Christ in God, 3:3, and then to display Christ's life through our death in every aspect of our lives.

May the year 2012 be, not a year of yawning but one of yearning, a yearning for God's desires to be to the desires of our own hearts, a deep yearning for Christ, one that exceeds the yearning of the deer after streams of living water.

Have a yearning New Year.