A new year begins. Who notices? Besides the brief excitement during the few minutes following the stroke of midnight at the end of December 31st, what difference does it make? Sure we’ll make plenty of New Year’s “resolutions”… Promise ourselves to do or not do a lot of things that we’ll do plenty of regardless. It’s a chance to put a past behind us that will catch up with us anyhow. It means that we’ve got three hundred and sixty-some-odd days to start planning next year’s Christmas festivities. What difference does a new year make really except that it adds another year to our lives?
The difference is that we are loved by a Creator who incredibly unchanging. He remains the same this year as he did the year before and the years ahead of us. He doesn’t need a new year to start something new in our lives. He calls us NOW! Jesus approached Peter, Andrew, James and John, four men whose very livelihood existed in the fact that they were fishermen. Jesus approached them saying “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:16-20). He didn’t say, “Go get yourselves clean, get right with God and then, a year from now, maybe you’ll be ready for what I’ve got for you.” No sir! Jesus approached them and said, “Right here! Right now! When the only thing you know is being fishermen, I want you to drop your nets and follow me! I’ve got something bigger and better for you. I’m gonna change your life and build my Kingdom through you!” We don’t need a new year to get our lives clean brothers and sisters! We are LOVED by the Lord of the universe who approaches us in all of our filth and wretchedness and says, “Follow me. I’ve got somethin’ better for you.”
Shalom.
