January 8, 2025 – January is…..A new Ending

“No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” (Unknown). I want you to remind yourself of this quote as you move into the new year. The upshot of the quote is this: we don’t start over; but we begin again, right where we are, toward the ending Jesus has already worked out for us.

If we believe that “If I do this or don’t do that Jesus will love me more”, then we have the wrong idea of the kind of relationship G-d wants with each one of us. We must change our thinking to “Because G-d already loves me beyond all measure, I will therefore live out that love every day, in every way”. Because there is nothing we can do to have G-d love us more, instead of looking backwards seeking a new beginning, we focus on beginning a new ending for our lives right now.

I do not make New Year’s resolutions anymore. I find them to be limiting. Since I know that most resolutions are forgotten or abandoned within a few weeks, why kid myself into thinking this year will be different.

Instead I try to find new ways to live into the love of G-d and the presence of my family and church every day. Every day I want to have a deeper commitment to praying and reading G-d’s word. Every day I believe the current times and trends in this world requires my undivided attention on G-d’s Word and the truth behind it so I can deal with the trials and tribulations that lie waiting around the corner.

How you end this year will be determined by how you start it. Do you want to get deeper into understanding G-d’s word and G-d’s intent for your life? Do you want a new ending this year? If you’re not a Christian, please know that this could be the best New Year of your life. Your life can be filled with hope and peace as you open yourself up to G-d’s word and the power of the Holy Spirit speaking truth and life into your existence. Why should every year be the same as the one before with nothing really changing?

If you are a Christian and you feel stagnate in your relationship with the Lord, then now is the time to rekindle that relationship – beginning with Word and Prayer. The real ending in our life will be when Jesus says well done my good and faithful servant. Wouldn’t it be nice for each one of us to know where Jesus said that and the love and intent behind what he meant?

Pastor Dave