How Good Can This New Year Be?
Monday January 11, 2016
The wisest man of his time, King Solomon, worked hard to get an amazing temple built to honour God. This temple was to be a place where people could come and worship God. As the new building was being dedicated He spoke a prayer that recalled a long history of God being faithful through the ups and downs of life. It reminds me of the "Looking back on 2015" news hour shows or magazine stories we might have seen or read a few weeks ago. Many reported tragedies showed harsh actions that uncaring people took, and the subsequent harm it brought to so many families and communities. The reports included stories on Syrian refugees, Paris bombings, and the sexual exploitation of others by famous people.
Thankfully, God cares for us and we remember our personal history with God, just like Solomon did. We find rest and peace and blessing even though our history recounts lots of difficulties and challenges just like the history of the peoples in Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon praised God for how He had showed His unfailing love and care for his nation, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.” (2 Chronicles 6:14 NLT) This is the same hope and strength we can carry with us into whatever 2016 holds.
In the middle of evil and suffering where is God? God is standing with people comforting and loving them even in their darkest moments. God is faithful to all His promises no matter what circumstances we put before Him. As the days get a little brighter and longer in January, we can allow our experience of God’s goodness to bring a little more hope into our hearts and live in the light of His presence in this coming year. We are a messy mixture of good and evil at best, living in a world that is dark and getting darker. When we give our lives to God and live in relationship with Him, God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Whatever we face in 2016, God will be there with all we need.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. (John 1:14, 16 NIV)
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