Looking Ahead With Confidence

Just as we did last year, we’ve walked through the Advent period and as we did so, we were reminded again of the blessings of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love which are inherent in the greatest gift that is our Lord Jesus. I still find it difficult to believe that this year has come and gone so quickly, it really seemed a blur and yet there are salient moments of God’s hand which come to mind from the year that was which were beautiful, encouraging and full of hope. These moments generally were centred around people, moments in my time with others, sitting quietly with someone in their grief, sharing a time of celebrations, being in prayer as we’ve interceded for others, or times of just shooting the breeze in jest.

Once again, we look ahead, soon to cross an intangible perennial moment into a new year. Do we really ever feel any different as we traverse that one moment? I can’t say that I have, but for the most part, as far as I can remember, I’ve been awake at the moment that we move from one year to the next, and I’ve been with those closest to me.

We often use this time as an opportunity to put new practices or habits in place, new year resolutions! After letting go and gorging on every manner of gastronomic delights, ‘diet and exercise’ is normally the first resolution that is listed, but it’s normally the first resolution to be broken in the new year! In fact the failure of people to keep to their new year resolutions are so common that some have come to call the second Friday in January as ‘Quitter’s Day.’

It makes me wonder however, whether setting spiritually shaped new year resolutions might be a useful exercise for us as Christians to engage in? Hopefully Christian resolutions might stick around a bit longer than ‘Quitter’s Day.’ I suppose any opportunity for us as Christians to reflect on who we are, our purpose, and God’s plan for us moving into the new year is beneficial.

We will be looking at Colossians 3:12-17 this Sunday, a well-known, and oft-quoted passages, one of my favourites. Take a moment to read it now if you are able and we’ll lightly explore it in our service.

Let’s look to the new year ahead with a confidence and a strong conviction of our Christian identity and purpose.

Blessings

Josh