As we approach the start of a new calendar year many people make resolutions about the things they plan to do during the new year to better themselves.  Instead of thinking about what we are going to do wouldn't it be better to think about what God did and will do?  In this new year, why not focus on God and His calling rather than being self-centered and thinking about what we are going to do or what is our calling.

God made an invitation to Abram in Genesis that He has also extended to us today.  God said that He would be Abram's God.  Abram did not choose God.  God chose Abram and offered to be his God.

To Abram
Genesis 17:7-8 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.  And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Later the descendants of Abraham, the children of Israel, multiplied and  were living in Egypt.  In Egypt they forgot about their God and worshiped the gods of the Egyptians.  As a result the children of Israel became slaves in the land of Egypt.  When they finally woke up and cried unto God, God extended to them the same invitation He had made to Abram: to be their God.

To the children of Israel in Egypt
Exodus 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

The children of Israel left Egypt to worship the Lord God in the wilderness and move into the promised land of Canaan where once again they would worship the one true God.  However, they had become so accustomed to worshiping other gods that they kept asking Moses to take them back into bondage.  God in His great love continued to extend His invitation to be their God and remind them of the things He had done and would do for them if they would only take Him at His word and let Him be their God.

To the children of Israel in the wilderness
Leviticus 22:32b-33 I am the Lord which hallow you, That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 25:38 I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

Leviticus 26:12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

Numbers 15:41 I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.

God wants to love us.  God wants us to be His people and He wants to be our God.  What a wonderful invitation.  God wants us to have a knowledge of His calling:

Ephesians 1:18a The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; THAT YE MAY KNOW what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

WHAT IS HIS CALLING?

     Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
     world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

     Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ
     to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God called us to be holy. God called us to be without blame. God called us to be His
children (adoption of children means to be placed as a son). God's calling is "according
to the good pleasure of HIS will." Chosen IN HIM, predestinated to be HIS children,
according to HIS good pleasure. This is the knowledge of God's calling!

God's calling to us is even greater than His calling was to Abram and the children of Israel.  He offered to be their God.  He has made an offer to us to be our God AND to be our Father.  We are God's children.  What a calling!  God's calling is great and includes:

     Romans 1:7 called to be saints [holy].
     Romans 8:28 called according to HIS purpose.
     Romans 8:30 called to be justified and glorified.
     I Corinthians 1:9 called to share fully with Jesus Christ.
     Galatians 1:6 called to the grace of Jesus Christ.
     Galatians 5:13 called to liberty.
     Colossians 3:15 called in one body.
     I Thessalonians 2:12 called unto HIS kingdom and glory.
     I Timothy 6:12 called to eternal life.
     I Peter 2:9 called into HIS marvelous light.
     I Peter 3:9 called to inherit a blessing.
     I Peter 5:10 called unto HIS eternal glory.
     II Peter 1:3 called to glory and virtue [excellence].

II Timothy 1:9 Who [God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began,

In the new year we need to gain a greater knowledge of God's calling!

"What is my calling?" or "What am I resolved to do in the new year?" are questions so far below the knowledge of God. He chose us first. He called us according to HIS OWN purpose and grace. That is the knowledge of God and that is a new year's resolution worth understanding:  God's resolution to be our God and our Father.

See also - A Divine Invitation from Glimpses of Truth Issue 13 by Rev. Chris Geer.