Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Jan/88

Contributor - Babette Moerman

Title - A New Beginning

Topic - Women

As we embark on a new year, we come face to face with an unchangeable fact; that time is moving on . . . and on . . . and on ... relentlessly. We are getting older. our time on earth has just decreased by another two percent or so last year. There are less opportunities. There are lost opportunities - gone forever. This is the bad news.

The good news is that a whole new year lies before us. There are new opportunities. There are new challenges. There are new potentials in 1988. The year unfolds itself before us and beckons us to come. Come we must - all of us.

You might say you do not particularly want 1988 to come. Last year proved itself to be a difficult year and you are afraid that 1988 will be the same. Well, no one has a challenge-free life. Sometimes we look at certain people and say to ourselves, "If only I could be in her/his shoes - they have it so easy, they have it made! What a piece of cake to live their life!" Well, another unchangeable fact is that things are not always as they appear to be. There is no one who lives 11 an "easy" life, a "challenge-free" life, a problemless" life. No one, not one. Look at the saints of the Scriptures. Did any of them breeze through life without a care? Did any of them waltz their way down the streets of life without a worry? No! Think of Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Job, David, Jeremiah and Daniel. None of them lived without facing problems, and neither did our Lord Jesus Christ. He faced constant ridicule from religious leaders and others. He was hated, despised, beaten and nailed to the cross. The writer of Hebrews instructs us to: fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame... consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12.-2 - 3)

One of the keys to good mental health is not to dwell excessively on the past. The past is beyond changing. The past is beyond alteration. The future, however, can be changed for the good - with God's help! This is one of the Apostle Paul's encouragements in the following passage:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3.-12 - 14)

For most people, the start of a new year includes making one or more "New Year's Resolutions". Often these resolutions are only kept for perhaps two months, two weeks, two days or two hours. If these resolutions are made and we do not ask God to strengthen us in keeping them, they will probably be broken. As the new year is here already, we should all take time to set certain goals or resolutions for our lives in accordance with God's will. Then go to God in prayer and ask Him to strengthen us in bringing these goals to fruition. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! (Philippians 4.,13)

In conclusion, 1988 should not simply be a repeat of 1987. Rather, we should strive to grow. We are encouraged to "reach maturity and attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." That means to be like Him - in the way we aye a wife, a mother, an employee, or what have you. we must never reach a point in our lives where we are simply stabilized or plateaued and not growing. If that is the case, in reality we are dying, slipping, falling back.

May 1988 be a year of growth for you in various areas of your life. God bless you richly and victoriously in this year full of new challenges and opportunities ahead. I would like to leave you with one more portion of Scripture to meditate on:

Be very careful then, how your live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. (Ephesians 5.-15 - 17)

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