Resolutions at the beginning of the New Year have occasionally been helpful, but are often forgotten within the first month or so, usually because most resolutions have something to do with food!
Making New Year's resolutions is not bad in itself, but we all should be more circumspect about setting down new commitments for the next 12 months. Do we really have plans to fulfill them, or do they just constitute wishful thinking on our part? "I'm going to lose 10 pounds a week" or "I plan to stop drinking lattes every day" or "I definitely will plow through that book within the next six weeks." And the list goes on and on.
Commitments are great, but they must be set forth with more than just a "want to" or else they will fail every time. Think about the resolutions you've made over the years. How many did you actually see to completion? And what was it that gave you victory in each of these?
This January issue of Acts & Facts is, in fact, the fruit of a commitment made 40 years ago by Dr. Henry Morris when he founded the Institute for Creation Research. A brilliant academician and researcher, Dr. Morris was at the pinnacle of his career in science as Chairman of the Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, a post he held for twelve years. But while he excelled in university life, Dr. Morris possessed a much deeper commitment to something of far greater value: communicating the wonders of God's creation. And it was this commitment that led him to San Diego in 1970--leaving behind the prestige of university leadership--to help found Christian Heritage College, of which ICR became the research arm.
Each year in January, we take a look back at what God has done in and through ICR during the past year, and we do so again in this issue. But we also take a look back through the pen of our founder to the beginning of ICR in order to examine not only how and why it was founded, but also to see how that initial commitment has remained true over the past four decades.
And so it will be true in each issue of Acts & Facts this year: remembering the blessings of God year after year, but also looking forward to how the Lord is leading ICR in its future work, intent on that one great purpose--communicating the wonders of God's creation.
This is an exciting time for all of us involved in the work of creation science, and I wonder sometimes what our culture would be like today if there never had been an ICR, if Henry Morris had never made that commitment in 1970. I trust it is your prayer along with ours that we all remain steadfast and resolute in our own commitments to communicating the truth to those around us, as Henry Morris began to do through ICR 40 years ago. Thank you in advance for your continued partnership with us.
From all of us here at ICR, Happy New Year!
* Mr. Ford is Executive Editor at the Institute for Creation Research.
Cite this article: Ford, L. 2010. Steadfast and Resolute. Acts & Facts. 39 (1): 3.
