Hello Church!

            Once again a new year has begun; and even though we can be amazed at how fast the years go by; there is still a sense of wonder at what this new year will hold.  There’s a sense of a fresh start; even though nothing has changed but the date. It’s seen as a new beginning, a time to do things differently, a time to reorder and reprioritize our lives. 

            It’s interesting that we, as people, seem to long for new beginnings.  We seem to look forward to the fresh start.  And although many New Year’s resolutions fall short of their goal we have a constant desire for things to be wiped clean and start anew.  For our mistakes and missteps, for our carelessly spoken words and our reckless thoughts to be wiped clean and be given a second chance.

            This desire to start fresh, or wipe the slate clean with the coming of a new year is an idea held all across the world.  It spans culture, climate, and generations.  It seems like as people we naturally have a desire to be made new.  We want to have a fresh start where our mistakes are gone and we can live differently.

            Isn’t it amazing that this is what the gospel is all about?  The Gospel is about Jesus taking away our sins (our mistakes, our missteps, our wrongs of all kind and severity). When we repent of our sin, when we turn away from wrong and turn towards God he forgives us completely.  All of our sins are wiped clean and are gone!  We have a fresh start!

            Maybe one of the reasons New Year’s resolutions fall short is because no amount of behavior modification can bring about a deep internal change that is truly required to “start fresh.”  Only Forgiveness through Jesus Christ can bring that refreshment that we seek.  Only forgiveness in Jesus can bring that new beginning where things really are wiped clean.  And the greatest thing about it is that we don’t have to wait for a new year to receive the fresh start we seek; all we have to do is get on our knees and ask God for his forgiveness! 

            I pray that this new year will be a wonderful year in your life, not because of goals you set but because of Jesus in your life, and the fresh start he continually offers.  May we all start afresh in Jesus every day! 

                                                            In the Love of Jesus,

                                                            Pastor Dave