Happy New Year 2010

With every new year there is the hope that things will be better than the year before.  We spend a great deal of time reflecting on the past year’s events and labeling them “good” or “bad” in light of how they affected us.  From our list of “bad” things, we develop our list of “hopes”:

• we hope the economy will improve
• we hope there won’t be as much sickness or death in our families
• we hope the storm seasons will be less harsh
• we hope we will behave better in certain areas

 Once we fill up our “hope list,” then what?  Unless we plan to do something about each item, we blindly sit back hoping that "good things come to those who wait" (to coin a very grating cliché).

Still, even when we try to make our hopes come true, placing our hope in failed world systems, the nature of life and death, unpredictable weather patterns, or our own weak will-power tends to result only in broken New Year’s resolutions… just like last year… and all the years before.  With each broken resolution comes a sense of disappointment, failure, or hopelessness.

I declare to you today that there is One in whom you can place your hope who will not disappoint, who cannot fail, and who is never the source of hopelessness – Jesus Christ!

He is not waiting for you only at the stroke of midnight on January 1^st of every year, but every second of every day all year long!  You don’t have to wait for a new year to find new hope, you can find it anytime you’re ready to receive it.

Lamentations 3:22-23

 ²² Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.

 ²³ They are new every morning;
       great is your faithfulness.

Psalm 68:19

 ¹⁹ Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
       who daily bears our burdens.

EVERY DAY – the Lord is compassionate toward YOU.

EVERY DAY – He has grace and mercy to offer YOU.

EVERY DAY – Jesus Christ, our Savior, is ready to bear YOUR burdens.

EVERY DAY.

1 Timothy 4:9-10

 ⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

My hope is in Jesus Christ because He succeeds where the world systems fail, He offers renewed health when sickness wants to cripple and life when death moves in too quickly, He can quiet the raging storms in life (personal and weather related), and His will is perfect where mine is not.

My hope is in Jesus Christ because He is a living God – a risen Savior – who rescues all who believe and call out to Him for help.  He is not a dead or hidden God that is hard to find or hard to reach.

My hope for you is that, even if you are already a believer, you will put your trust in Jesus Christ THIS DAY because I know He is trustworthy and is all the hope you will ever need.

How do I know?

I was there when He rescued me and He hasn’t left me yet.

May your hope be in Christ in 2010!