Have you ever eaten 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day? How about having eaten some black-eyed peas or set off fireworks? The people of the United States, Japan, Scotland, Spain and other nations have their unique traditions for bringing in the New Year which they hope will bring them good luck in the future.
The start of New Year’s celebrations date back to around 4,000 years ago, during the ancient Babylonian era. From those days to modern times there has always been a common theme among New Year’s traditions – “good-bye to the old and good luck in the new”.
The origin of the month of January embodies this. The name evolves from Janus, the Roman god of new beginnings. He had two faces; one looked back to the old and the other to the future. The Roman people would then celebrate before Janus, wishing they would receive good luck from him in the New Year.
No doubt, in all of our lives there was a mixture of good and bad in 2011. Like the Japanese do, maybe we would like to attend a “Forget-the-year” party and bid farewell to the difficult memories of last year. As you enter 2012 what are you relying on to bring a new and better year?
While researching for this column, my mind raced to a quote from the Bible I have read many times, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). This ties in perfectly with the New Year!
The old can pass away and the new can come through gifts from the God of heaven. First, the gift of forgiveness can totally wash clean the sins of the past and bring healing to the wounds of yesterday. Secondly, the gift of eternal life can instantaneously create a new heart and mind that will breed new attitudes, desires and a future filled with an adventurous mission from God. These gifts originate from the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s only Son. He gave His life that we might have new life.
Begin this New Year by turning your life to Jesus Christ. Humble yourself before God and call upon Him. Say good-bye to your old life and receive the gift God has for you in Christ. May Jesus be your hope for today and the New Year.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, December 12, 2011
HOPE FOR TODAY: The Story of Christmas
Good overcomes evil. Right triumphs over wrong. Justice prevails over injustice. Most films and theater productions have that heroic climax. Writers weave it skillfully into their work and audiences love it. There must be something in the fabric of our being that longs for what is good, right and just to be victorious in our own life and world. I believe the Christmas story embodies that.
The ancient, but true, story takes place in a small Israeli town. One starlit night the world was forever changed when the face of evil met its arch enemy. The Baby Jesus. He was not just any child. A series of miraculous events surrounded His birth. Before His conception, an angelic being appeared to His mother saying, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-32). There were many such messages. They continually pointed out this Child would rise one day to become a great King and Deliverer. It all seemed a bit strange, but the news brought glimmers of hope to a world imprisoned in darkness.
Was this Child a mere mortal like you and me? On the outside He looked like one of us, but on the inside He was much more. The seed of Baby Jesus was literally sent from heaven. His seed was placed in the womb of His mother, Mary, by God’s Spirit. She was a virgin having never been with a man before. It was the miracle of all miracles. This seed of Jesus was divine. He was the very image and nature of the God who ruled the universe in heaven.
What a story! God left His throne, with all its splendor, and took on the form of a common human being. He became one of us, coming to deliver us and the world from sin. He came to establish a new kingdom on earth over which one day He will rule. That day all evil, wrong and injustice will be destroyed.
The theme of the Christmas story is hope. No matter what your world is like at present, may Jesus be your hope for today.
The ancient, but true, story takes place in a small Israeli town. One starlit night the world was forever changed when the face of evil met its arch enemy. The Baby Jesus. He was not just any child. A series of miraculous events surrounded His birth. Before His conception, an angelic being appeared to His mother saying, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-32). There were many such messages. They continually pointed out this Child would rise one day to become a great King and Deliverer. It all seemed a bit strange, but the news brought glimmers of hope to a world imprisoned in darkness.
Was this Child a mere mortal like you and me? On the outside He looked like one of us, but on the inside He was much more. The seed of Baby Jesus was literally sent from heaven. His seed was placed in the womb of His mother, Mary, by God’s Spirit. She was a virgin having never been with a man before. It was the miracle of all miracles. This seed of Jesus was divine. He was the very image and nature of the God who ruled the universe in heaven.
What a story! God left His throne, with all its splendor, and took on the form of a common human being. He became one of us, coming to deliver us and the world from sin. He came to establish a new kingdom on earth over which one day He will rule. That day all evil, wrong and injustice will be destroyed.
The theme of the Christmas story is hope. No matter what your world is like at present, may Jesus be your hope for today.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
HOPE FOR TODAY: The Year of Protests
“It appears that 2011 is the year of the protest – both foreign and domestic”, according to Julia Edwards from the National Journal. I agree. The Arab Spring and Union uprisings are the face of many. The United States has seen hundreds of thousands protest across the country including the states of New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. Across the globe we have seen protests in countries throughout the Middle East and in Europe.
Each of these uprisings swells from a deep divide protestors have with their opponents. Differences have moved beyond discussion to all-out public opposition. The protestors feel their cause and actions are justified in order to give voice to the evil they see. Is public opposition like this the only answer to the evil and injustice we see in our world? I believe there is a better way.
Centuries ago Jesus rose up among His countrymen with great prominence. Thousands followed Him. Many had hopes He would be their national savior and overthrow the evil Roman Empire.
How did Jesus handle the pressure to use His influence to lead a rebellion? He told His followers “the Son of Man (Himself) must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22). Jesus’ intent was never to topple a government or fight against a corrupt system. When His ministry began He said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Clearly, Jesus lived for something beyond this world. He was not given to the lure of money and power nor did He cower in fear of others. He was courageous, but His fight was against the very seed of injustice. He fought against the powers of sin, death, the devil and pride in the human heart. He did not come to take up a battle against government and religious leaders. Rather, it was to lay His life down that others might be saved from their sin and live to the glory of His Father in heaven.
Rather than rising up against people and institutions may we rise up against the power of sin in the human heart. Let us bow before God and pray for our enemies before we rise up and demonstrate before them. Let us give voice to the good news of Christ before we give voice to our grievances. May Jesus be our hope for today.
Each of these uprisings swells from a deep divide protestors have with their opponents. Differences have moved beyond discussion to all-out public opposition. The protestors feel their cause and actions are justified in order to give voice to the evil they see. Is public opposition like this the only answer to the evil and injustice we see in our world? I believe there is a better way.
Centuries ago Jesus rose up among His countrymen with great prominence. Thousands followed Him. Many had hopes He would be their national savior and overthrow the evil Roman Empire.
How did Jesus handle the pressure to use His influence to lead a rebellion? He told His followers “the Son of Man (Himself) must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22). Jesus’ intent was never to topple a government or fight against a corrupt system. When His ministry began He said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Clearly, Jesus lived for something beyond this world. He was not given to the lure of money and power nor did He cower in fear of others. He was courageous, but His fight was against the very seed of injustice. He fought against the powers of sin, death, the devil and pride in the human heart. He did not come to take up a battle against government and religious leaders. Rather, it was to lay His life down that others might be saved from their sin and live to the glory of His Father in heaven.
Rather than rising up against people and institutions may we rise up against the power of sin in the human heart. Let us bow before God and pray for our enemies before we rise up and demonstrate before them. Let us give voice to the good news of Christ before we give voice to our grievances. May Jesus be our hope for today.
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