Skepticism isn’t hard to come by. Another lap around the track, another year on life’s treadmill, and skepticism grows along with the wrinkles, freckles, fallen archers, and passing years. “Can a leopard change its spots?” God had Jeremiah ask the consistently rebellious and sinful people of Israel. Even God showed his skepticism at his people’s claim to be able to reform their behaviors. No, skepticism isn’t hard to come by anytime. The start of the New Year, with all its talk of reform, change, discipline, and resolutions only makes skepticism the flavor of the month in many circles where change is unwanted.

    For some reason, many of us need a special occasion to help us leverage major life changes. Maybe it’s the second half comebacks we see in sports or the late in life blooming we see in some people we admire. So here we stand again at the edge of the New Year. We’re not really sure whether to try to leverage this “new start” for some needed changes or to simply greet this time of year with a “healthy skepticism” — partially because we’re not sure we want to pay the price for the changes and partially because we doubt we can sustain them. We’ve played this game before and failed, so why do it again?

    While I would love to encourage you to follow through on your resolutions toward weight loss, reasonable exercise, more faithful Bible reading, a deeper walk with God, better discipline at sticking to your priorities (or any number other good resolutions), that’s not what this article is about. We’ll have other articles and resources this week about that with good content, practical suggestions, and great Bible study plans and devotionals. Instead, I want to remind you that in Christ, our paradigm for fresh starts is not the New Year, but each New Day!

In Christ, our paradigm for fresh starts is not the New Year, but each New Day!

    “Today is the day of salvation!” the Bible reminds us in several places (Exodus 14:13; Luke 19:9; 2 Corinthians 6:2). God’s love and mercy are new to us every morning (Lamentations 3:23-24). We are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus every today (Luke 9:23). Our lives can be purged of their sin and we can be renewed each day because of the LORD’s forgiveness and grace (Psalm 103:5). We are to find another Christian to encourage today as long as the Lord keeps giving us a new day (Hebrews 3:13). We are not to worry about the future, but instead, focus on today (Matthew 6:34). We are not to get too caught up in our own plans, because each day of our lives is really in the Lord’s hands (James 4:13-17). We must live each day knowing that our ultimate salvation is nearer now than ever before (Romans 13:11).

    “So what’s the point?” I hope you’re asking.

    We resolve to live each new day as a fresh start given to us by God as gift (Psalm 118:24). Not only do we get a fresh start each new day, we also have God’s promise to keep pouring his love into our hearts each day (Romans 5:5) and to keep on giving us his Spirit each day (1 Thessalonians 4:8).

    While there are many very good resolutions that we can make this year, there is one commitment I want to challenge you to make: start each day as God’s gift of a fresh new start. We are called to be “today” people, God’s folks who live in the present because we know our future is secure. So let’s begin each day knowing that like God’s love and mercy, we can be new every morning!

 

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Title: "New EVERY Morning"
Author: Phil Ware
Publication Date: December 23, 2002