New Year Anticipations

I'm not sure which I like best, the ending of something or the beginning of something. Sometimes at the end (like the end of the year) one can reflect upon accomplishments gained. However, at the end there are also regrets and sadness over sin, failure, and weakness demonstrated in the living of life each day.

But the beginning of something is fresh and new.  I heard once that one can think of the beginning of the new year as a clean sheet of paper upon which one will write in the coming year.  But in some ways the new year is like the old year.  This year there will be blessings from God, joys (both anticipated and also surprising), challenges, struggles, temptations, trials, and even perhaps tragedy.  It is interesting how life changes, yet stays the same.  But no matter what happens this year, there are some key transcendent truths that will always remain the same:

1.  God will be sovereignly good intervening in human history (including the particular experiences of believers) providentially with wisdom, love, power, and grace.

2.  The gospel of Jesus Christ will still be true.  The rich, effectual consequences of Jesus' active righteousness, death, resurrection, and mediatorial reign are all in effect continuously and ever more.  Time and it's fluctuations cannot change the eternal gifts that God gives to His covenant people in and through Jesus Christ.

3.  The destiny of God's people is both secure and glorious.  As difficult as earthly experiences may be, nothing compares with the glory that will be shared with us by Christ in our eternal, heavenly home (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  And one day, in our flesh, we shall see our beautiful Savior in all His glory (The Beatific Vision!).  And as a part of His Bride, the church, we shall each share in the joy of that glory.  What a promise!  What a blessing!

So, as we begin a new year, we Christians are pulled evermore forward to the glorious colors of the transcendent sunset (sunrise?) of our future in Christ.  Rejoice!