At the same time as considering the New Years resolutions a post mortem will be carried out over what was intended for this last year and what was achieved or why those resolutions were not met. But the truth of the matter is that nobody can predict the future and human being have limited influence upon what will or will not happen.
Certainly in this day and age many will be going into the New Year with worries and concerns about what it will hold for them financially or in regard to strife and social unrest, war, ill health or one of the many problems that face both individuals and society at large. The world has indeed many understandable misgivings about what the future may hold. The world if we but take a candid look has many frightening features, but these should not deter us!
It is no wonder that fear lurks at every corner when we come to understand and appreciate from scripture what is coming upon this earth, what true happiness really is and how it can be found. A man may inherit property or money, he may gain a new job, achieve many things, but in reality these are but transient pleasures. With responsibility comes concerns and wealth is at best transient. Temporal gain brings little lasting happiness in itself.
If a man gain much and manages to keep it, how long will it give happiness? A year or two, ten years, fifty years maybe, but however long, sorrows will most certainly come and the shadow of death lies over all. Now Jesus said:
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36
In the scriptures we have a new beginning depicted to us in the opening chapters of Genesis and the Bible ends in Revelation with a new beginning. In Genesis the earth is without form and void, its surface covered with water, full of darkness and lifeless. The earth in this age is full of darkness, its surface covered with the heaving turbulent waters of the wicked casting up mire and mud, it is a world that is spiritually lifeless.
A new beginning will shortly dawn and the Lord our God will create something new in the earth and that newness of life spoken of in Revelation will spring forth:
“..he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb... … there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”
So no futile new years resolutions for us maybe, but a continual resolving each week to seek Yahweh and His ways, diligently preparing for the return of the Lord Jesus.
How very transient are the “happy new years” for humanity, for apart from Yahweh it can be no different. Thus David prayed, “teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.”
Let us go into this New Year remembering that our calendar really centres upon the Jewish New Year in September and we work to Yahweh’s timescale not our own.
There is the promise of many “Happy New Years” to come, an eternity, but only if we seek out that which his of true and lasting value. Indeed Paul writes:
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1Timothy 6:6-8
We know that we are living in the last days, the final time of the end. If this should bring the day of resurrection, and we pray that it will, then may that day find us exhibiting a faithful attitude of joyful obedience to the will and Word of God. Let that day find us watching, waiting and prepared.
Andy P.
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3
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