"At the beginning of each New Year a topic of conversation is often ‘what is your new year’s resolution?’ Replies vary widely and are often about changes to lifestyle but it is generally known that these as well as many other resolutions are not always maintained through the year.
I began thinking more widely about what my resolution might be for my family, our country and the world – certainly to be more consistent in my prayers for peace and harmony and also to acknowledge with more gratitude all the good I see expressed at home, in our country and all over the world. That seemed a good starting point but I didn’t feel it was a complete idea.
I looked up a definition of resolution: ‘a firm decision to do or not to do something.’ I thought a lot about the word ‘firm’. Any resolution has to have that element of having a solid, almost unyielding structure.
At home on New Year’s Eve we were watching the firework display in London on the television. It was an exciting, spectacular event with stunning fireworks set to various pieces of music. There was a moment when the display seemed to reach a crescendo and I remember thinking what a finale it was. But there was a brief, quiet pause and a Beatles song was then played to yet more fireworks. It was a short excerpt of their song was ‘All you need is love’ and then the display was over. What an inspired final message that was!
At that moment I realised that those few words were exactly what I felt was missing in my thoughts about a ‘resolution’. This was all I really needed to be basing my thinking and prayers on – the fact that God is Love.
The subject of this week’s lesson sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly is ‘God’ and includes this text written by Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
‘Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching. Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way.’
God as our Father, Mother, loves us all. His love is unwavering and protective, gently guiding us and lovingly strengthening us. By acknowledging this as a ‘ firm decision to do’ I now feel I have my resolution!"