Sisters and brothers, the Christmas season is a special time of reflection, celebration, and renewed hope. But the truth is, we live in a fast-paced world that seems to spin faster by the day, and it’s easy to forget to stop and reflect on the week, month, or year that has just whizzed by.
One of the things I appreciate most about Christmas is how it encourages us to shift our focus back; remembering the very reason we celebrate it in the first place, the birth of Jesus, and the hope that flows from it. By focusing back, we open ourselves to allow God to prepare us as the new year approaches and in turn make space for God to create new beginnings in our lives.
Every one of us needs a new beginning in some way, a fresh start in some area of our life – I think this is especially true considering all the challenges we have encountered in the last year. As we begin heading into the new year it seems like the perfect time to allow God to fill us with new life.
And yet, despite the many challenges that we and so many others have endured, I remain optimistic about the year ahead and all the opportunities God will continue to call us into – opportunities to grow closer to God, to serve those in need, to stand up for justice, to work for peace, and to walk this journey of life and faith alongside one another.
A new year marks a new beginning – a time to reground ourselves in the love of God and to be reminded of God’s desire to continually make us new. The changing seasons have always been for me a reflection of this quality of God – from winter to spring we see that which appeared dead burst forth into beautiful displays of God’s glorious work. I truly believe that God longs for the same fresh start in our lives just as he does for all his creation.
We can all have hope in the unwavering love of God and we can reflect on the birth of Jesus as a sign that God’s powerful love can make new all that needs restoration. As we put the past year behind us it’s time for us to look ahead and gain perspective on those areas of our lives that need rebirth. God’s heart is to meet you wherever you are today. He longs to meet you at your greatest point of weakness and pain and wrap you up in his love. He longs for you to know he is with you, for you, and will walk with you into the newness of life – and He deeply longs for you to hear the gracious words of his healing truth that He speaks over you.
God loves you and is for you. He has new beginnings in store for you. But just as a tree needs fresh sunlight, warmth, and rain to bear fruit again, you also need the refreshing rain of God’s grace and the warmth of his unwavering love to be made new. None of us can do it on our own – and quite honestly, we weren’t created to do it on our own.
So, as we begin this new year, it is my heartfelt hope and prayer that you come to know the redemption and grace that God has in store for you today and every day as we continue to seek the heart of God together. May God’s blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love be yours today and always. Merry Christmas!
Pastor Tony
(Reprinted from the Jan. 2021 newsletter.)
