Resolved: He Will Hold Me Fast

Oh, how I love New Years Eve. I always have, and as I’ve gotten older, I have begun to understand why. I like fresh starts, I like getting organized, I like new beginnings, and new days with “no mistakes in them…yet.” (Cool people will picture their favorite Canadian red-head right about now.) What better time for all of those than the beginning of a brand new year?

Last year, I had three resolutions.

To read my Bible every day.
To start running regularly.
To have tea every afternoon at 3:00 p.m. and pretend I was British.

Want to take a wild guess at how many I succeeded in?

None.

I did read my Bible, many days, but not all. I ran once. And I learned that I really can’t stand drinking tea every afternoon, instead please just give me all the strong coffee. Tea is like hair. Good days are great, bad days are awful, and once it is one or the other, there is just no changing it. Coffee is just always good.

As I sat down this weekend to choose my resolutions for 2019, I was struck by the realization, that no matter how much I want to do what I set out to do, or how many preparations I make, I cannot guarantee that I will succeed. I am human. I am flawed. I will fail, if not in these resolutions, in other ones.

Now this thought process could’ve taken a very depressing turn, but rather it went upward.

One of the many beautiful things about God, is that He is steadfastly capable of whatever He chooses to do. Unlike me, if He decides to do something, nothing can stop Him. His resolutions are just that: resolved. Mine are merely things I hope for.

One of the things He chose to do, was give His own Son to save the world. He chose to make me His daughter and He who began a good work, is faithful to complete it.

This year, my resolutions may fail, like last year. Yours might, too. But God, His won’t. If He has made you His child, He will keep you His child, no matter what comes. He cannot go against His own nature, and His own nature is an unchanging one.

This last year was a rough one, long and exhausting. But here at the end of it, I look back and I see how each thing, each person, each hurt, each hope, was placed there, perfectly, by a steadfast, loving, God. His resolutions for me came to pass, even if my didn’t. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Through it all, He held me fast. Never once did the events of my life venture outside of His perfect plan. Not for a moment, was I not held fast by my Savior.

As the ball drops tonight in New York, and the sun rises tomorrow morning on a new year, look to the God who will not change. Remind yourself, that though your plans may fail and your year be different that you had expected: He will hold you fast.

Take heart in that promise.

When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Happy New Year, dear friends.