New
Year’s resolutions are no longer popular. This is partly because many people
reckon that they would break them in the first twenty-four hours and so it
seems easier not to make any at all. But I guess we shouldn’t let the
possibility of defeat cause us to give up the fight altogether, before we’ve
even begun. It is sometimes said that if you aim for nothing in particular,
that’s exactly what you’ll achieve!
The question
remains, however, how should we respond when we fail again to achieve our goals and aspirations. The Bible’s answer is
to remind us that God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in
steadfast love… He does not deal with us according to our sins. … As a father
shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion on those who
fear him. …” The God of the Bible is someone who gives us a first, second,
third, fourth chance and more, when we cry out to Him. Failure in God’s eyes is
not grounds for rejection or abandonment. Rather, it’s an occasion for Him to
pour out His steadfast love found in Jesus Christ. It is no wonder that the
Apostle Paul (a former murderer) could write:
One thing I
do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on
toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in
Christ Jesus.
Such confidence and future hope (despite a
messy past) only makes sense if the good news of Jesus’ birth, life, death and
resurrection are true. If the Gospel record about Jesus is false then we have
no hope and each of us faces a bleak and anguished future in an eternal hell.
As someone has put it “No Jesus = No life” but, “knowing Jesus = knowing life”
– eternal life. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ gives us the confidence to put
the past behind us and to look forward with great hope to that great and
awesome Day when Christ returns.
So, rather than dwell on past failures and
disappointments, why not bring them to Christ seeking His forgiveness and
peace? Come along to church to find out more
(Matthew 11:28) and don’t let your past distract you.
Your past is past. Today is a brand new year!
Magazine article for January 2017 AD the Benefice of East Dean, Friston & Jevington
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