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Day 4: The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

I think this one can come off as a couple wrong ideas. He is not saying that his resolutions are on level with Scripture, nor is he thinking they are a work to be worshipped and followed. This we have to remember is a personal list of things he believed would help him glorify God. If he believes that these resolutions will be a tool to help him be more like Christ, then slacking off of them can be a sin. That thought process is deeply convicting for me.

I am not that focused on my growth in Christ. I like TV too much, I like sports too much, I am incredibly gifted even, at wasting time. So I can look at this resolution and see here we are. I can see clearly now the rain is gone.. I mean I can see clearly now the haze is gone. If he followed this one resolution consistently he would smoke me. I could fill a a binder with all of my grand schemes and goal sheets. I, once again, am brilliant at wasting time and not following through. If nothing else, I pray God helps me see the consistency of Edwards in my future life.  

Day 3: The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.

Well, after he lays the foundation in #1, now Jonathan builds on that by adding some forward-thinking. He admits he may not know it all or even the best way to keep his first resolution. Humbly he knows that to truly grow you must be always looking for better ways and means. Anyone who is still doing things exactly the same way without continually seeking a better way, is definitely limiting themselves. I can learn much from this thought process.

It is easy in life to be comfortable and to do things the same way over and over. Most people don't like change and they will sometimes do whatever they can to keep life the exact same. The other thought process is we live in a world that is filled with choices and "upgrades." So this needs to be a resolution that helps you be more efficient overall. There are so many new tools, "inventions," and such out there today, that all promise a better you. There are things out there that can customize everything around you. It is important to look for ways to improve your efficiency in life. But most times we can get caught up in the newest gadget or product that promises a better life. We need to be diligent in looking at the whole process and making sure it isn't a false promise or in actuality adding to your regimen, instead of helping. We must always be looking to grow and use tools to help us. But we need discernment to figure out which ones to use and which ones to let go. Sometimes, getting stuff faster, smaller and easier produces a weakness as well. I pray that I can humbly seek to grow consistently and use tools/ideas along the way to help me serve God better.

Day 2: The resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Big surprise a delay! But on we roll, it is not how many times you get knocked down, it is how many you get up right! So...

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great so ever.

Ok. This is deep. The Puritans were crazy smart and were the masters of what we might call a run-on sentence. I am not sure what is best, a really unique, wise, and long sentence or a short, simple one that carries the same meaning. Anyways, I digress... This is a huge one here. Edwards could have stopped with this one because it covers the whole of the rest. It is an overarching statement that will encompass the foundational ideal that will work out in the rest. Honestly you could break this down into 3 or 4 main ideas that are all home-run ideals. The idealist in me applauds the incredibly large ideas that he is aiming to address here. This type of inward thought and focus can only bring good. So how does that apply for me?

Well, at first, trying to apply this idealism to me can seem overwhelming. This is a Puritan-esque ideal that boggles the mind. Can we live this way? Well, Scripture says this is indeed what our individual self-aim to be. Glorify God in all we say and do. If we do this, then inevitably it will also lead to our own best profit and pleasure. This sounds like John Piper's call to Christian Hedonism. Then we move on to mankind as a whole, doing our duty for man, this would be the second part of Jesus' summary of the greatest commands, love another as yourself. Then Edwards ends like a dramatic hero. In movie quote world it sounds like a great speech delivered at the height of the moment by the champion hero. Without any consideration of time, even in the myriads of ages, no matter the difficulties, no matter how many, or how great, I RESOLVE to do this. That inspires you, if not check your pulse. The important part, unlike the movies where this line is for saving his love of beating the bad guys,  Edwards is seeking to glorify God. What an amazing ideal to shoot for, and it is more exciting, more impactful, and more amazing than any battle or love story. How does this apply to my life?

What if I decided that above my entertainment, above my comfort, above my stuff, above whatever short-sighted thing I chase after, that I WILL GLORIFY GOD. That doesn't mean I become a monk, but rather a radical, focused disciple living life to glorify God. I am IN the world, not separated physically, and seeking to living a life full of the joy of glorifying God. I can do that in all of my daily activities, I can seek His glory in work, family, service, etc. But do I? I know I will never fully love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Shouldn't it be the guiding light in what I want to do? My focus is directly impacted when I ask myself before I do something, "Does this or how will this glorify God?" My heart motives are impacted when I ask during it, "Am I glorifying God in my actions and responses?" My ability to grow more like Christ is impacted when I ask afterwards, "Did I glorify God with that, how can I bring Him more glory in the future?" The idea can be so big it is overwhelming, but it is applicable in the smallest areas and should be taken as the overwhelming goal that needs to be applied.

Newsflash, I am not Jonathan Edwards. I will never be Jonathan Edwards. That isn't even my name, look how far away I am! But God made me to be me, so He can transform me into Christ's image. There is nothing wrong with looking at a man greatly used by God and saying I want to learn from him. I can't hold myself up to him and compare, that is unfair to both of us. But I can look at his foundational ideals and realize there is fruit within them to use for growth. This first resolution should be every Christian's first, because Jesus said it should be normative. Please God, help me to love you more and love those around me more.