A NEW BEGINNING

Every new dawn is a new beginning,

Every new day is a reason to sing.

And though, with our eyes, the future we cannot see,

There is one truth that we must believe.

God will always be faithful and true;

Every morning His mercy springs forth anew!
~ written by Darlene Koop ~

The beginning of a new year usually causes people to think about starting things anew, making changes in their lives, finding new inspirations....the list could go on. Psalm 98:1-3 makes this declaration:

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

For He has done marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

The Lord has made known His salvation;

His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

³ 

He has remembered His mercy
and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The salvation of God provided in Jesus Christ is not new -- but every moment of every day is a new opportunity to recognize who God is in our lives and to sing a "new" song of praise to Him. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, but every time we come to Him we discover anew how real He is and that He is constantly doing new things in our lives.

And although Solomon declared in Ecclesiastes, "there is nothing new under the sun," and it is true that most people cannot keep the goals they set at the beginning of a new year, there is hope for us as followers of Jesus Christ because...

1. In Christ's sacrifice, a NEW covenant was formed, one which frees us from the bondage of the law. (2 Corinthians 3:5-7)

2. If we are "in Christ," He has made us a NEW creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

3. God spoke through His prophet to tell His people that if they would repent, they would receive a NEW heart and a NEW spirit. (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

4. We are exhorted to regularly put off our old ways and habits and put on the NEW characteristics of the One who created us. (Colossians 3:9-11)

5. God doesn't change, but His mercy is NEW every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)

6. One day all that we know of this earth and our lives here will pass away, God will make all things NEW, and there will be a NEW heaven and a NEW earth. (Revelation 21:1-5)

There will be lots of "new" things and experiences for me this year -- I think this has been the case every year in the past, but my awareness is heightened now because of where I am and the incredible adventure God has taken me on.

But what I want most of all is to be renewed in my spirit and my heart, to have a new understanding of who Christ is, and to be renewed in my love and passion for Him! It is far too easy to get caught up in other things and to lose sight of what - and WHO - is most important.

Heavenly Father, would You please help me to see a new glimpse of You every day? Would you touch my heart and renew that burning desire to be focused on You and You alone?

Holy Spirit, would You reveal "new" truth to me from God's Word and teach me what the "new" me is to look like? Would You give me reminders to come before You daily, humbly, on my knees, to seek Your forgiveness and grace and to learn to depend completely on You alone?

Father, would you give me a new song daily and help me to be a testimony of Your work in me? In the holy, precious and powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.