God of New Beginnings
It seems that every year when January 1 arrives, it is traditional to think about New Year’s resolutions. After a holiday season filled with an abundance of wonderful food, the resolution often involves the promise to diet or to exercise more. Perhaps a goal might focus on being more intentional about Bible study or our prayer life. No matter what our goal, it seems that these resolutions involve a bit of regret about ways we’ve fallen short, ways we want to strive to do better in the New Year.
As we start 2024, we can be grateful to embrace the truth that we worship a god of new beginnings.
Hebrews 8:12 explains, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
We don’t have to be perfect. When we acknowledge our sin before God, we can be assured that He loves us and does not hold our past against us. Putting our faith in Jesus Christ and his promise of salvation, we can trust that we are forgiven and freed from the burden of sin.
Praise God that we are given the opportunity to do better, to be better with His help. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Anyone who is willing to make Jesus Christ the Lord of his/her life can have a new beginning.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Happy New Year! May 2024 be a blessed year for you!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the opportunity to start anew every day. Help us to acknowledge before you when we fall short, to repent from our sins and with your help, to follow in Christ’s ways.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Karen Rich