Earlier in this issue, Rev. Boekestein asks the question “Is your life an instrument of God’s praise?”  That question triggered another question in my mind: “How are we to praise God?”  and then, “How are we going to praise Him in 2011?”  With that in mind, and it being the time of year when people make New Year’s Resolutions, I offer the following resolutions for the year 2011

Resolved: That in the year 2011, if God should spare my life, I will make it a practice to go to the house of the Lord each Lord’s Day, there to meet my God and worship Him.

Resolved: That I will go to church on time, arrive a few minutes before the beginning of the service, and silently bow in prayer to ask God’s blessing upon the services of the day—both on behalf of the one bringing the message and the ones hearing the message—and in particular for myself.

Resolved: I will not be afraid to follow the usher to the front pews.

Resolved: I will, when possible, take my seat near the center of the pew leaving room for others to sit beside me without being forced to crowd past me or stumble over me.

Resolved: I will keep an eager and open mind, lay aside my prejudices, and willingly listen to the Word of God as it is proclaimed.

Resolved: I will maintain a reverent silence while in the house of God and refrain from nervously rustling through the pages of the Psalter Hymnal; noisily flipping over the pages of my notes; or tapping my watch during the sermon to see if it is still working.

Resolved: I will take an active part in the worship service and, instead of sitting back to watch what others are doing, I will join heartily in the singing and be an attentive listener.

Resolved: I will cheerfully greet fellow worshippers and provide an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness.

Resolved: I will take special pains to speak to the lonely stranger.

Resolved: I will regard going to church as a privilege and not as an obligation; a pleasure and not a burden; and an opportunity as well as a responsibility.

Resolved: I will give cheerfully to support the church and the causes approved by the deacons.

Resolved: I will carry my religion into my home, my office, my work, my school, and wherever else the Lord may lead me.

Resolved: That I will faithfully read The Outlook (and other Reformed publications) from cover to cover, realizing that reading good Christian material will increase my love for the Lord.

Resolved: That I will try to put some of the above resolutions into practice in this new year.

Rev Wybren Oord, Editor