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Thought for the Month - January 2012
Thoughts for believers & seekers
Thought for the Month -
Confidence for a New Year
Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
January, the beginning of a new year. January 1st, the start of the year when it is traditional to make New Year Resolutions. New Year Resolutions can be a sign that we are unhappy with what we were last year and so we resolve to be different in this coming year. The whole practice is an indicator of a desire for something better in the year ahead. Can the Bible help us with this? Has it anything to say that might guide us into something better this year?
The Bible is full of new beginnings. It says, in complete harmony with modern science, that there was a beginning to this world, but it goes further than modern science can go and declares that God was the motivating or energising force behind this world being created. More realistic than most of us dare be, it declares that although we have great potential we so often mess up. Thus at the end of the Bible we find God declaring, “I am making everything new.” What is amazing about the beginning and the end is that God’s activities are shown to be for our benefit. Indeed that is the message throughout the Bible, that although we sometimes get it seriously wrong, God is always working to ultimately bring good for us if we will but receive it.
This is rather a big challenge for some of us. However, others have found it to be true and can testify that, although they so often get it wrong, whenever they encounter God, they find He is trying to lead them into good.
The psalmist who wrote Psalm 40 in the Old Testament found this: He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. I’ve noticed that people mostly sing when they are happy. They may also sing when they are sad but so often singing is an expression of happiness and the psalmist attributes his happiness to God and to what He had done.
A poem written in 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins, gained fame when King George VI included it in his famous Christmas message broadcast in 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War. It begins:
Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
January, the beginning of a new year. January 1st, the start of the year when it is traditional to make New Year Resolutions. New Year Resolutions can be a sign that we are unhappy with what we were last year and so we resolve to be different in this coming year. The whole practice is an indicator of a desire for something better in the year ahead. Can the Bible help us with this? Has it anything to say that might guide us into something better this year?
The Bible is full of new beginnings. It says, in complete harmony with modern science, that there was a beginning to this world, but it goes further than modern science can go and declares that God was the motivating or energising force behind this world being created. More realistic than most of us dare be, it declares that although we have great potential we so often mess up. Thus at the end of the Bible we find God declaring, “I am making everything new.” What is amazing about the beginning and the end is that God’s activities are shown to be for our benefit. Indeed that is the message throughout the Bible, that although we sometimes get it seriously wrong, God is always working to ultimately bring good for us if we will but receive it.
This is rather a big challenge for some of us. However, others have found it to be true and can testify that, although they so often get it wrong, whenever they encounter God, they find He is trying to lead them into good.
The psalmist who wrote Psalm 40 in the Old Testament found this: He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. I’ve noticed that people mostly sing when they are happy. They may also sing when they are sad but so often singing is an expression of happiness and the psalmist attributes his happiness to God and to what He had done.
A poem written in 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins, gained fame when King George VI included it in his famous Christmas message broadcast in 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War. It begins:
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'
And he replied, 'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'
And he replied, 'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'
The indication within the Bible is that God doesn’t wait until we are good to help us; He only looks for an open hand reaching out to Him with sincerity. His guidance may run counter to our ideas but He’ll never force His ways upon us. He is always, however, ready to impart His love to any who risk reaching out for it.
One of the most dramatic references to new beginnings in the Bible came when a religious leader sought out Jesus Christ after dark one night (see John’s Gospel, chapter 3) and as the conversation progressed, Jesus eventually said to him, “You must be born again.” When the man queried what this meant Jesus indicated that any new beginning had to be really deep down if it was to be effective. Surface, cosmetic, new year resolutions would not do the job. Only a yearning from deep within and a willingness to let God guide can bring the change which we desire.
For many of us, talk of ‘God’ brings back memories of dull RE classes at school. Often not much there to encourage us to put our hand into God’s hand, but the New Testament of the Bible is full of encouragements. The Church, that body of imperfect people, gathers to reflect on the wonders found therein, and can also act as another source of encouragement.
This could be a year of walking alone in the darkness or, perhaps, just maybe, finding that there is a hand out there reaching to take our outstretched hand, a hand that conveys warmth, security and love in dark times. May it be so. Have a good January.
One of the most dramatic references to new beginnings in the Bible came when a religious leader sought out Jesus Christ after dark one night (see John’s Gospel, chapter 3) and as the conversation progressed, Jesus eventually said to him, “You must be born again.” When the man queried what this meant Jesus indicated that any new beginning had to be really deep down if it was to be effective. Surface, cosmetic, new year resolutions would not do the job. Only a yearning from deep within and a willingness to let God guide can bring the change which we desire.
For many of us, talk of ‘God’ brings back memories of dull RE classes at school. Often not much there to encourage us to put our hand into God’s hand, but the New Testament of the Bible is full of encouragements. The Church, that body of imperfect people, gathers to reflect on the wonders found therein, and can also act as another source of encouragement.
This could be a year of walking alone in the darkness or, perhaps, just maybe, finding that there is a hand out there reaching to take our outstretched hand, a hand that conveys warmth, security and love in dark times. May it be so. Have a good January.