So, how are those New Year’s resolutions coming along? It’s been over a week since we rang in the new year. Are you still holding strong? Or have you already let them slip? Tomorrow marks National Quitters Day, a day many unintentionally observe by giving up on their goals.

Sustaining our best intentions is notoriously difficult. We often revert to familiar habits, despite our resolve. Consider the Israelites in the Book of Exodus: after enduring the agony of slavery in Egypt, they were freed through God’s intervention. Yet, less than six weeks later, they grumbled, longing for the “good old days” of captivity (Exodus 16). It’s human nature. So, don’t be surprised if you reached for a cookie mere days into your new diet or skipped the gym after pledging daily workouts.

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution—whether you’ve kept it or not—you’re part of a tradition that dates back thousands of years. Nearly 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians began marking the new year with reflection and renewal. During their 12-day festival called Akitu, held in mid-March at the start of their agricultural year, they made promises to their gods. They pledged to pay debts, return borrowed items, and reaffirm their loyalty to their king. Success rates? History is silent, but human nature suggests their follow-through may have been as shaky as ours.

National Quitters Day, observed on the second Friday of January, highlights a sobering statistic: roughly 80% of resolution-makers abandon their goals by this point. Whether you resolved to exercise, quit smoking, eat healthier, or simply be kinder, the odds may not be in your favor.

But here’s the good news: we all stumble. It’s part of our human brokenness. As Christians, we believe in the promise of second chances. Through Jesus Christ, we are invited into a life of death and resurrection—a constant renewal. In baptism, our sins are washed away, and we begin anew, just as Christ commands us to do in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Don’t quit. Join us this Sunday, January 12, at 9:30 AM as we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. Wash away your sins, renew your resolutions, and embrace the gift of starting fresh.

Blessings,

Pastor Marc