The Preacher's Pen

I love January 1. I love New Year's. It is such a wonderful finish to the holiday season. I love New Year's parties and kissing my wife at midnight. I love the Tournament of Roses Parade. I love watching more college football in one day than I have seen the rest of the year. But more than anything else, I love the feeling of a fresh start that each January 1 brings. I am an incurable optimist and so I relish the New Year and its chance to examine where we've been, think a little about where we're going and try to do just a bit better.

I love this time when we can start anew.

That must have been how Israel felt in Exodus 12. Brought out of Egypt by God's mighty hand the Lord announces that He is restarting their calendar: "Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 'This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.'"(Exodus 12:1-2). This was, in effect, New Year's Day, 1444 B.C. It was such an important day and such an important occasion that God started the calendar over for Israel. For Israel everything changed that day. One day there were slaves and subject to Egyptian taskmasters. The next day they were free people, free to go and serve their God. Now that is a real fresh start!

It may be possible for us to waste the wonderful opportunity January 1 brings to us. We can make a few fake resolutions and then go back to business as usual. That isn't good enough, is it? If you are going to maintain the status quo then don't flip the date over, don't call it a new year, just keep marking time with that old Egyptian calendar. However, if you are willing to get serious about changing, if you really want a fresh start, if you are ready to walk with God in a better way, then push forward into 1999 with courage and faith.

Grab this New Year by the throat and seize the opportunity to reform, repent, and be the servant of God the Lord wants you to be. Make a fresh start!