Starting the New Year Off Right
In less than one hour it will be A.D.2009. I can distinctly remember sitting in the cafetorium of Avondale High School in 1969. We were having orientation for all of the new 8th graders who would be entering High School there in the fall. On the wall was a huge banner which read, "Welcome Class of 1973." As I sat there thinking about that banner, I thought that 1973 was so far away. It seemed like it would never come, but it did. Now, it has been 35 years since I graduated from high school. Where has all of the time gone? It went rather quickly because it contained college, getting married, seminary, 3 children, pastoring for 32 years, and 2 grandchildren. Every day has been a blessing from God.
Each year since I was 15 or 16 I have stayed up to see the New Year in. I have always had a keen sense of anticipation for the possibilities of a New Year. I believe I have tried to start every year off by asking the Lord to lead me to be closer to Jesus than the year before. Often, I have been praying as the New Year came in, as I will be tonight. However, this year is a bit different. I have even more urgency to see God work in me to be a missionary to my community than ever before. I have an even greater desire to see non-Christians touched by the Gospel of Jesus than I have had in a long time. I suppose it is because I see the world changing so fast. I see Satan having so much influence in turning people from the Lord. I long to see the Spirit have His way in our church family and in our community. I pray that each of us will have a passion to start the New year of 2009 off right and to stay right all year.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 1-3 and Matthew 1.
Each year since I was 15 or 16 I have stayed up to see the New Year in. I have always had a keen sense of anticipation for the possibilities of a New Year. I believe I have tried to start every year off by asking the Lord to lead me to be closer to Jesus than the year before. Often, I have been praying as the New Year came in, as I will be tonight. However, this year is a bit different. I have even more urgency to see God work in me to be a missionary to my community than ever before. I have an even greater desire to see non-Christians touched by the Gospel of Jesus than I have had in a long time. I suppose it is because I see the world changing so fast. I see Satan having so much influence in turning people from the Lord. I long to see the Spirit have His way in our church family and in our community. I pray that each of us will have a passion to start the New year of 2009 off right and to stay right all year.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 1-3 and Matthew 1.