Old Year's Day

It’s Old Year’s Day as some refer to it, or New Year's Eve as others name it. However you name it, we are giving thanks to our Father in heaven for unlimited, bountiful grace and mercy to each one of us. When you look at yourself, all lit up with the beauty of hope, peace and inner joy in King Jesus, you bow and give thanks for His unfathomable free grace. You know that by grace and grace alone, your heavenly Father has kept you through three hundred and sixty-five days of a now dying year, with just a few hours to go. In spite of stormy days, unbearable burdens, crushing hopes, debilitating sorrow and weakness beyond description, you, not just in your words, but you, in the very fact that you are breathing at this moment, testify that God has brought you through 365 days. Who else gives life?

Take your eyes away from you for a moment, and cast them on some poor, faint, struggling person. See the one who is all darkness, in body, mind and spirit; one who has remained in the error of his or her ways; one who is still held bound by this world’s injurious ways; one for whom the light of Jesus does not yet shine upon; one who is not yet in the fold of Jesus. Here are some humbling, yet hope-inspiring facts. That person is absolutely no different from you in this respect, where Creator God’s unfathomably free grace is concerned.   

You are breathing as that one is, because of God. God is the One and Only Supplier of breath.

You have come through a full 365 days of a year, as that one has also come through, because of God.  God is the One and Only Giver of life.

You are loved by God, just as that one is loved by God. God is the One and Only Lover of sinners.

Let us end this year, with uplifted faith, hope, trust, assurance and undeniable love of our Incarnate God, Christ Jesus, Saviour of the world, He who has come to set all people free.

We enter into 2026, Deo Volente.

Indeed, as God wills, with the ever-lifting Love of God the Father, lavishly poured down upon us in God the Son, all made real and alive to us through God the Holy Spirit, we look to Him for many others and for ourselves. 

May you know a Spirit-filled New Year!