Wait, why am I doing this?

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that New Year's resolutions have gone a bit out of fashion.  My perception may be due to the fact that I haven't made one in years,* and not because there is no room for improvement in my life or character.  Going barreling along from one calendar year to another, one hardly takes a breath to consider what, if anything, might benefit some adjustment.

But that is the great value of a New Year or a new season of anything.  It can provide us an opportunity to stop and rethink what we are doing and why we are doing it.  Just such a rethinking came my way a few days ago, and not because I was looking for it.  It was something I read in Isaiah 12 that got me thinking.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.  And you will say in that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name
make known his deeds among the peoples
proclaim that his name is exalted.
(Isaiah 12:3-4)

The prophet Isaiah speaks a word of promise to a people facing challenge and exile, people living in a time bereft of joy.  And he promises that God will save and that they will draw on that salvation with joy.  And that they will respond with thankfulness, turning afresh to him (calling on his name), making his deeds known among the peoples and proclaiming his name as exalted.  Now it is these last two that got me thinking and reconsidering.

"Make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted."  That is to say, when you experience the saving power of God, make it known, honor his name.  Judaism is not a faith that seeks converts, like Christians or Muslims, but nonetheless the Jews of Isaiah's day are encouraged to let the peoples know, to proclaim the name of the Lord.

But the question is, why?  As a Christian I would immediately think of evangelism, or the great commission given by Jesus to make disciples of all nations.  As a pastor and church planter I would immediately think of strategies for church growth and bringing more people into the fold.  But again, why?

Going barreling on from one calendar year to another, I hardly take a breath to consider why evangelism is important or why I want the church to grow.  And barreling along, I am afraid my reasons may not be the best ones, nor yet the one that is alluded to in Isaiah 12.  Our efforts of outreach, evangelism and church growth are often staged to serve ourselves.  If there are more people in church we will feel better and it will be more comfortable and "successful".

We may not be quite so self-serving in our evangelism in that we may have a real concern for others who are lost and estranged from God.  This is good.  But it still isn't what drives the proclamation in Isaiah 12.

In Isaiah all these actions - the thanksgiving, the calling upon his name, the making his deeds know, the exalting of his name - are driven by a desire that God and his name, his reputation, his work and salvation is lifted up and known.  Those who experience his salvation want Him to be known and honored because of it.

That is what made me stop and say, "Wait, why am I doing this?"  (and by "this" I mean all the works of the church). It needs not to be for the purposes of "church growth" or swelling the ranks, but rather driven out of a desire that the deeds and the name of the God of Love be made known and exalted.  Jesus taught us this when he taught us to pray.  The first petition of the Lord's Prayer is "Hallowed be thy Name".  Its placement at the outset of the prayer underlines the point.  Why am I doing this?  Because He is indescribable and honor is due his name.


*I did think a few weeks ago that I'd like to train for a triathlon this year, and not one of the "TinfoilMan" sprint ones, but at least an Olympic distance.  But I can assure you that it is not a resolution because I am far from resolved to do it.