New Years resolutions

As we are staring down a new year, 2007, my mind wanders again to New Years resolutions. In past years, I have made many, but not kept a single one.
I was pondering this over the past few days and it occurred to me that God does not encourage or expect New Years resolutions; rather He wants us to make new day�s resolutions, or new moment resolutions. Better stated, God wants our obedience today.
He is in the continual process of making us more like Jesus, moment by moment. When we blow it, He doesn�t want us to wait until the beginning of a new year to get back on track. In my mind, New Years resolutions are just a way of delaying obedience. The same goes for starting diets on the first of the month or starting again tomorrow since I already splurged today or committing to stop watching a particular TV show at the end of the season, or to quit smoking when my job is less stressful, or to start showing my husband respect when He starts deserving it, etc. I think you get the idea.
I am prone to do this�set up a line in the sand a few days, weeks, or months away to stop a bad behavior or begin a new good one. By doing this I am basically giving myself permission to continue doing what I want until that time, which seems to continually get moved further into the future. I continue in my sin with less guilt because, after all, I am going to do something about it. I�m only deceiving myself.
God�s grace is sufficient. It will not become more sufficient in a week or month. Obedience does not become easier; it becomes more difficult with every choice of disobedience. Don�t wait for the start of a new year or a new month. As soon as you become aware of sin, confess it, repent and turn back to God, now not next week.
God�s mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.

2 Corinthians 3:18, �And we, who with unveiled faces
all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into
his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit.� NIV

Lamentations 3: 22-23, �Through the LORD�s mercies
we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.�
They are new every morning; �Great is Your faithfulness.

Happy, Healthy and HOLY New Year.
Diane