Every wise workman takes his tools away from the work from time to time that they may be ground and sharpened; so does the only-wise Jehovah take his ministers often times away into darkness and loneliness and trouble, that he may sharpen and prepare them for harder work in his service.

Robert Murray McCheyne, Scottish minister and evangelist (1813-1843)

He was without any comforts of God - no feeling that God loved him - no feeling that God pitied him - no feeling that God supported him. God was his sun before - now that sun became all darkness...He was without God - he was as if he had no God. All that God had been to him before was taken from him now. He was Godless - deprived of his God. He had the feeling of the condemned, when the Judge says, "Depart from me, ye cursed...who shall be punished with everylasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." He felt that God said the same to him.

Ah! This is the hell that Christ suffered. The ocean of Christ's sufferings is unfathomable...He was forsaken in the [place] of sinners. If you close with him, as your surety, you will never be forsaken..."My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" [The answer?] For me - for me.

Robert Murray McCheyne, Scottish minister and evangelist (1813-1843)

2007 is going to be an exciting year. I have no idea where I will be and what I will be doing in August, never mind this time next year. Thankfully, I know that my life will not come to together by coincidences and random events, but instead has been lovingly planned by a God who has plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give me a future and a hope. Whatever happens, I want to grow more and more in my relationship with and in my knowledge of God, and to walk with the Lord daily and in everything I do.

While reflecting on the past year and on the year ahead, I have decided to set myself some goals to help me focus and to have some accountability for my part in my growth over the next year. If I tell you about them, I'd better have a good excuse for not keeping them!

That said some of them might not be as important by the end of the year although I have tried to pick goals that will be good for me wherever I am and whatever is happening in my life.

It is also interesting to look back at previous goals to see what was important to me at the time and if I achieved them. While sorting through a box of school stuff, I found an old diary from 1995. My list of goals for before I was 25, ten years later, included becoming a doctor (done), having long hair (quite embarrassing this is in the same league as the last one but it has been done), getting my name into listings of the Radio Times (done) and being in a musical in the main theatre in my city (not done and I'm fine with that!).

My goals for 2007 are to:

• Read through the whole Bible - I've done this once before in a year and found it very helpful to get everything in context and to see the Bible as a whole, rather than in fragmented pieces. I'm currently swithering (admittedly a bit late in the day!) between Robert Murray McCheyne's plan or reading through the Bible chronologically.



• Memorise key Scripture - The publishers of the ESV Bible have a year's Scripture memorisation plan that covers the basics of Christianity with one passage for every week.



• Learn a question from the Shorter Catechism every week - I think we have lost a great part of our heritage and a wonderful opportunity to learn basic tenets of faith when we stopped catechising children in Sunday school. I didn't go to Sunday school myself so I have decided to start learning them.



• Practise hospitality more purposefully - Carolyn McCulley wrote a great article on this a few days ago. I'll write more about this, but I wanted to recommend it straight away.



• Start singing lessons again - I used to do so much more singing when I was at university, but stopped when I started work. Having got my postgraduate exams out of the way, I should be able to find the time to do something I love.



• Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Do without - I want to join the ladies of blogland, led by Sallie, in Celebrating a Year of Abundance.



• Keep blogging - I never intended to start blogging at the beginning of the year but somehow fell into it. I have loved it though and really feel that I have grown from the discipline of writing and from the writings and fellowship over the internet of believers all over the world.

I'll write a little more about these in the days and weeks to come, but until then I'd be interested to know your resolutions or goals for the coming year if you are making them. For others' hopes and dreams for 2007, visit Laurel Wreath for more New Year Meditations.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the death of the Scottish preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne, who died in 1843, aged only 29 years old. His short life and ministry was marked by great revival amongst his congregation in Dundee and some wonderful writings now known all over the world. If you think you have never heard of him before, you might be surprised to discover that it was him who designed the Bible reading plan (aimed to take his congregation through the Old Testament once and New Testament twice throughout the year together) and who wrote a number of beautiful hymns, including Jehovah Tsidkenu.

I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

I oft read with pleasure, to sooth or engage,
Isaiah’s wild measure and John’s simple page;
But e’en when they pictured the blood sprinkled tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu seemed nothing to me.

Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
I wept when the waters went over His soul;
Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu—’twas nothing to me.

When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
No refuge, no safety in self could I see—
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life giving and free—
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

Jehovah Tsidkenu! my treasure and boast,
Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne’er can be lost;
In thee I shall conquer by flood and by field,
My cable, my anchor, my breast-plate and shield!

Even treading the valley, the shadow of death,
This “watchword” shall rally my faltering breath;
For while from life’s fever my God sets me free,
Jehovah Tsidkenu, my death song shall be.

In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.
Jeremiah 23:6