TOMORROW’S SUNDAY

On New Year’s Eve, the whole world, almost, remembers what is really important. They remember the good and the bad things. They remember things for which they are thankful and things they plan never to do again. In many ways they try to make a good beginning. It’s not hard to repent of things that did you no good. Nor is it difficult to make plans and promises. But there is a deeper problem, and that is this: is there repentance, or a new beginning, or a promise kept, or anything truly good apart from God? If there is a universal problem, it is that we all spend far too much time apart from God. There are plenty of excuses as to why we do this, even if the scriptures say six days shall you labour and do all your work, the scriptures did not mean that it was exclusive, that is that God could not be part of your work day, nor is it saying that God only expects to hear from you on your day off. In the same way, prayer is not just something for morning, evening and mealtime, scriptures command us, pray without ceasing! Put another way, never be apart from God. While it is good to make new year resolutions, if they are promises that are soon forgotten, what’s the point? How can the new year, be not just new, but blessed? Well of course, like most things, it begins with God. If we become a new creation when God puts his name upon us? If we find the power to live a new life in the grace of God? Certainly it would seem wise to put God’s name on the new year. So that the question becomes: What would you have us do with this new year you have given us? God is at the centre, we surround him, like loving children gathering around their beloved father. So we begin the new year in the name of God, looking to our heavenly Father, to give us direction, and the grace to do the good that he places before us to do. May God richly bless you in this coming year.