Claim power, strength from the love of God

Eliza Drummond

February  5, 2011

Some of us make New Year’s resolutions. By February, the day planners, gym equipment and gym memberships may be languishing. The blogs, journals and books are laid aside on bedside tables with the resolution that they will be read still fresh in thought. Some well-meaning people try to convince you that making resolutions is not a good idea.

But what really is a resolution, and why do we do this on New Year’s Eve? Let’s first look at how Google defines it. A resolution is:

a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote;

the ability of a microscope or telescope to measure the angular separation of images that are close together;

resoluteness; the trait of being resolute: “It was his unshakeableresolution to finish the work.”

Nowhere does it say anything about New Year’s or making one, except possibly the first bullet: “a formal expression by a meeting, agreed to by a vote.” Now, there would be an interesting turn of events: If every resolution thought up on the last day of the year had to be vetted by a committee, then more might be kept.

Now, with the second definition, we get closer, no pun intended.

Resolution is the ability of a microscope or telescope to measure images that are close together. To me, that means being able to recognize that the thing we are looking at is actually made up of many things. That plain brown bug on our porch becomes a thing of wonder when viewed through a magnifying glass. The star we see in the sky might become two stars or a galaxy if our telescope is strong enough. The persons with whom we work may become multifaceted jewels, when we resolve to get to know them better.

And finally, we have the third definition, resoluteness: to be firm in purpose or belief, willing to give it your all, to rise above your fears to accomplish what has been set before you.

It is in this state of resolve that my faith carries me. My understanding that I am a child of God, granted immeasurable power, makes me able to claim the hope through which I have been called. I think sometimes we make New Year’s resolutions in an attempt to understand this power, to name a little bit of it, to declare that we believe that the future can be changed by our being in it.

But the moment we make that New Year’s resolution, it seems that we begin to sabotage our own efforts. It is as if what we fear most is not failure, but success.

So next year, or tomorrow, if we must make resolutions, we might try something like these. Reach out to people who believe in us. Be accountable. Look at life from many angles. And be resolute to claim what I believe to be ours: the love and immeasurable power, the endless energy and boundless strength that comes from being a child of God. All the rest will follow.

Eliza Drummond is a member of First Christian Church in Eugene. This column is coordinated by Lane Interfaith Alliance to offer inspiration, share personal spiritual experiences and bring a deeper understanding of individual faith perspectives with the intention of blessing our community and the world. For more information, visit www.laneinterfaithalliance.org or call 541-344-0430.