“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22–23
The new year is soon approaching! During the New Year you might hear folks say, “New Year, New Me.” but I hope not, because I love y’all just the way you are! All kidding aside, we all can get better, and be better Christians with the help of the sanctifier, the Holy Spirit. The New Year often comes with resolutions, but our deeper calling is renewal.
Wesley spoke often of holiness not as perfection, but as a life continually shaped by the love of God and love of neighbor. This year, our growth may not look like huge achievements but more like small, faithful steps such as practicing patience, offering forgiveness, choosing compassion, showing up in prayer, serving quietly, loving boldly.
A new year arrives not because everything is suddenly perfect, but because God’s grace is steady even when our lives are not. We bring into this new year all that the last one held joys and losses, accomplishments and regrets, prayers answered and prayers still waiting.
There will be days this year that feel heavy. There will also be moments of wonderful joy. Through it all, God’s sanctifying grace continues its work, shaping us, healing us, and drawing us closer to Christ. We are not asked to carry the whole year at once. We are invited to live it one day at a time, trusting that God is faithful in each step.
As we begin this year, we do not place our hope in what we can control, but in the God who makes all things new. May we enter these days with humility, courage, and a renewed commitment to walk in the way of Christ.
Almighty and loving God, We thank you for bringing us to the beginning of this new year. We release into your care all that lies behind us, the joys we cherished and the burdens we still carry. Renew our hearts by your grace, shape our lives by your love, and strengthen us to follow Christ with faithfulness and joy. Teach us to trust you one day at a time, to love you with all our hearts, and to serve you and our neighbors with compassion. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
May God bless you and keep you!
Pastor Dennis