"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing;” (Isaiah 43:18-19) Life is filled with new beginnings. Giving mankind a fresh start is obviously very dear to the Lord’s heart. Every 60 minutes we get a new hour and every 24 hours we get a new day. Every 7 days we get a new week and every few weeks we get a new month. Every 3 months we get a new season and every 12 months we get a new year.
As Christmas ends, and we face the beginning of a new year, all of us can use a new beginning. Whenever we take a glance over our shoulder, we see failures of various degrees. We could have loved deeper, been more compassionate, less argumentative, and more sacrificial. Thank God for the things we accomplished through grace, but the older we get the more we realize how we “continually fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) Each year the force of these words weigh heavier and heavier upon our hearts and minds.
Any failure from the previous year compels us forward into the new year with the hope of doing things better. We all need a ‘do-over’ and the Lord gives us one every year. We begin our year with the hope and fresh vigor of a new born child, hoping to correct the flaws of the past year.
However, we must be careful to not think that our future better deeds will outweigh our wrong—we can’t earn favor with God. Only Jesus can give us a new beginning that makes things right. His death on Calvary’s cross frees us from the shame and guilt of our past and releases us to begin afresh. We can never earn God’s favor, and we certainly do not deserve it. The journey begins like every journey—with a single step.
The ancient Chinese philosopher, Sun Tzu, said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Jesus said, “Come unto me and I’ll give you rest.” Peter said, “God is not willing that any should perish.” Paul said, “In Christ, we live, move and have our being.” John said, “Whosoever will.” Are you ready to begin your new year with a truly fresh life? The journey of joy begins with God’s forgiveness and ends with a welcome into the full presence of God.
As our new year begins, let us surrender afresh to God’s will for our life. We have lost many friends this past year and, if we could talk with them, they would tell us that the only thing that matters is whether or not we belong to Christ. Let us start the new year with a new perspective. Let us begin our journey with the power of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Christ is waiting. Surrender to Him through faith and repentance. The journey into a new and better year begins with… The First Step!
