The God of New Beginnings
He is always doing new things. Isaiah 43:19
He gives a new covenant. Matt 26:28
He gives us a new name, a new identity. Col; 3:10. Isaiah 62:12
We receive new birth. John 3.
He gives us a new heart, a new spirit. Ezek. 18:31
He gives us a new commandment. John 15:34
His mercies and His love are fresh (new) every morning. Lam. 3:23
He puts new songs into our mouths. Psalm 40:3
We speak with new tongues. Mark 16:17
Ultimately – all things will be NEW. Isaiah 66:22. Rev 21:5
God is heavily into ‘newness’. I have always been so grateful for that. There are so many times in life when I have had to ‘rule a line’ and start again, or even turn a page and begin a new one. I am so grateful that God doesn’t hang my failures on me forever, or remember my sins after I have sought His forgiveness. I am grateful for literal and spiritual ‘new days’. God has given me confidence to ever walk forward in His purposes and put the past behind me knowing that the positives of past experiences will help build toward God’s future, but so also the lessons learnt in times of failure and difficulties that are committed into His loving hands bring greater understanding and wisdom (hopefully).
I believe in New Year resolutions. I don’t want to just let life happen to me, but I want to see that those things that God wants to have happen in my life have priority and place in the days ahead. It is good for me from time to time, to make an assessment in the presence of the Lord, as to where I am spiritually and practically. To re-assess my fellowship with the Lord in prayer, in the reading of His Word and other disciplines of the spirit, and also my relationships and ministry. I find it helpful to prayerfully write down those things that it seems God wants changed or improved upon, or maybe those things that should be cut out of my life.
And I find the end of one year and the beginning of a new one is a good time to do that.
May the home churches in this nation move forward in God’s ways and purposes in 2007.
God bless each one of you.
Bessie