FRESH BEGINNINGS

 Revelation 21:5  (ESV)

“And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”

Out of His limitless grace and mercy, God gives us a multitude of fresh starts:

• 12 new months every year! 
• 52 new weeks every year!
• 365 new days every year!
• a birthday once a year. 
• New Year’s Day every January 1st!  

We could break it down further, but you get the picture...

God understands our continual need for fresh starts!  He knows that we periodically need to have our slate cleaned. 

The Bible gives us a multitude of examples of this. 

• Moses murdered a man, but then was cleaned up by God - by spending forty years shepherding sheep.  Then God called him to lead His sheep (people) out of Egyptian bondage. 
• Jonah rebelled against God’s will - don’t we all? But after spending three days in the belly of a whale, he obeyed God’s Call to be an evangelist to ungodly Nineveh!  The result:  120,000 converts!
• The Apostle Paul persecuted the NewTestament Church severely - even overseeing the deaths of many Christians!  But God intervened in his life and turned him into the greatest church planter of all time. 
• Peter denied his Lord in His hour of greatest trial!  Yet, Jesus restored him over breakfast on the shore of Galilee. He became the cornerstone of the fledgling new movement!  
• Augustine was a spoiled rich young man who lived life in the fast lane.  Even when he acknowledged Christ, he prayed, “Lord make me pure, but not yet.”  His writings of faith have encouraged generations. 

In Jeremiah 18, God sent him to watch a potter work with his clay on the potter’s wheel. Jeremiah noticed that when the clay became an imperfect vessel, the potter wetted his hands, pushed the clay down and produced a beautiful piece of work. The message was clear to the prophet:  God does not discard wasted lives;  He remakes them for His service. 

FRESH BEGINNINGS!  For young and old, for people of any nation or race, for those in and outside of the church, for those who are pretty good and those who are very bad!  He does not discriminate!  

English evangelical preacher and martyr, John Bradford (circa 1510–1555) is said to have uttered the expression - "There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford", when seeing criminals being led to the scaffold. He recognized that it was only by God’s grace and mercy that he had achieved any degree of faithfulness. 

I’m thankful on this New Year’s Day for fresh beginnings!  So thankful!  God never wearies forgiving me!  He is FULL of mercy!  God repeatedly wipes my slate clean!  He removes my shame. He forgives my indiscretions. He gives me unlimited fresh starts!

And He’ll do the same for you!  For anyone!  

II Peter 3:9  (ESV)

The Lord...is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Kind and Gracious God,

Thank You for this New Year's Day!

You know how desperately we needed it.

We want to draw a line between our past and our future!

You make it possible for us to do that.

We want to honor you with our lives.

We want to do better!

Allow Your Holy Spirit to enter us so fully that we will turn from destructive patterns 

and seek to follow You with all our hearts, minds and strength!

May this new year be a year of stellar obedience and greater works for Your Kingdom.

And may You receive ALL the praise!

For Jesus' sake.  Amen!