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Question: Do you remember what I asked back in January about a new year’s resolution? Do you recall the one thing that I posed as a challenge for all of us? Popular writer and speaker Craig Groeschel titled his latest book, “Soul Detox”, speaks to heart of that resolution. Normally, folks are susceptible to maximizing resolutions. I simply posed one resolution, just one, for us to consider as we forge ahead in 2012. Now, how is that resolution working out for you? Moreover, do you remember the resolution? How is that resolution framing your spiritual walk to date? When Groeschel says detox, he means we need to declutter everything about us, so that we can begin to ‘get’ the message of the Cross, which is simply this: faithfulness. Back in January, I challenged all of us to do one thing differently this year, just be ‘faithful’ to God. That has been the point all year long. You’ll recall that I did not offer a litany of things, good things, to consider for 2012. I simply offered one. We are now a little more than halfway through 2012, and it is going by fast. Again, how is your year progressing? How is your commitment to Christ? How is your walk with God? Is the resolution to be faithful a burden or a blessing? Getting the point of life will mean so much more for all of us as we advance the cause of the Cross. What is the point again? The Cross of Christ! By being ‘faithful’ to Christ we are advocating a total and complete surrender to the power of the Cross, while also allowing it to declutter our lives. That is why the power of our 2012 challenge is so resounding. By being ‘faithful’ to God, we are honoring his Sovereignty. The Eminent Professor of New Testament, Dr. D. A. Carson put it succinctly when he said this:

“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, he would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Savior.” [Spiritual Reformation, 109]

I fear that we sometimes convolute the issue, which is this—for detoxing to take effect, we have to declutter our lives. The best way to fulfill that aspect is by being faithful to God. By being faithful to God, we are saying that God is at the helm, and that God is the central reality. Dr. Carson makes a remarkable observation by highlighting what our awesome God is capable of. God decided to provide just what we need based on what was lacking. Because of sin, we are therefore alienated from him. Because of that alienation, God sent a Savior who in turn died to provide life and victory over death. Man’s greatest need is something so simple, a word that contains only 8 letters, f-a-i-t-h-f-u-l. Yet it is also man’s greatest challenge. In order for us to ‘get’ the point of life, we have to do that one thing, be sold out for God, and be faithful to him. How is that working out for you?