In The Master's Service

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FACING 2008 IN HUMILITY, NOT IN BOASTING

Elder Wayne Crocker

As we face a new year, it is good to be optimistic and realistic. We should make plans, bathed with prayer, to accomplish good things that will glorify the Lord and bring a degree of peace and comfort to those around us. It is good to strive to better ourselves materially, but more importantly, spiritually.

In our quest for more success, we should carefully consider our motives. In financial matters, are we working for success so that we can say as the foolish rich man in Luke 12:19: "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry"? The Bible clearly teaches that our first responsibility is to provide the necessities of life for our household. I Timothy 5:8 tells us that "if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." However, we find in Ephesians 4:28 that a man should work "with his own hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

In our hopes and plans for the future in every aspect of life, we should approach tomorrow humbly, knowing our lives are in the hands of God. Without Him, we “can do nothing" (John 15:5).

"Go to now, ye that say, Today or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:13-14). In verse 15 James goes on to say: "But now ye rejoice in your boasting: all such rejoicing is evil."

As we look toward 2008 and make plans, may we continually remind ourselves of the truths that Jesus and James have stated. This will help us avoid vain boasting and self-praise.

Keep these humble thoughts and we can optimistically look to the future and plan to "run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). We can say with Paul, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).

If the Lord blesses me to live through 2008, there are a few observances I hope to experience and enjoy. One is my 50th high school class reunion in May. More importantly, Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church will have its 100^th anniversary in September. Each year there are birthdays and wedding anniversaries that cause us to pause and reflect on the Lord's blessings in our lives. On May 29th, Brenda and I will have been married 44 years. (I have noted recently that many younger people think it is extraordinary for people to be married to the same person for more than 40 years! That tells us something of the declining expectations that many today have regarding marriage.)

In closing, I would like to make a hope list for the coming year.

1. I hope to personally walk closer to the Lord and see many of God's children doing the same.

2. I would like to see more baptisms than funerals in our church and most other Primitive Baptist churches. I would like for this to be more of a hope, and less of a wish!

3. I hope the Lord will help our nation to continually prevent terrorists from bringing destruction and death to our country.

4. I hope the 2 wars our troops are fighting will be brought to a successful conclusion and fewer separations of families occur as a result.

5. I hope our people will, from a church standpoint and nationally, take to heart and act on the promises of II Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

6. I hope more of the Lord's people will come to the knowledge and comfort that is found in the true gospel within our own land and throughout the world according to the will of God.

7. I hope we as the New Testament church, will be led to even greater unity in a common understanding of the principles of truth found in the scriptures and thus reduce both formal and informal divisions that so often hinder the prosperity of the Lord's church.

Much more could be added to the list. Let us pray, pray, pray. Then, let us work, work, work that the year 2008 may be a blessing to the Lord's people. But in our concern for temporal blessings, may we ever realize that we are but strangers and pilgrims here and that someday, by God's grace, we will all be carried to our real home in heaven!