Welcome to 2021—A brand new year is here!
While New Year’s Day as a holiday has no biblical significance, this doesn’t mean Christians shouldn’t pause and reflect on the turning of the calendar.
A new year can remind us of new life, hope and opportunity. Every new season is a testimony of God’s grace. Creation itself reminds us of God’s great faithfulness as we witness renewal and rebirth. Things can be renewed. Even in a cursed, fallen world, hope for change can exist. In a sense, every day with Jesus is a chance to turn the page on an old way of life and embrace a new one. We are, after all, new creation people, and we serve a King who renews us daily by the Holy Spirit.
A new year can remind us to be intentional. A new cycle of life can serve as a reminder to be present and intentional with the time we’ve been given. The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them”’ (Ecclesiastes 12:1). As Gospel-centered people, we should be mindful of the fragility of human life. 2021 is young and the opportunities seem fresh. Every breath is a miracle, a gift given to us by our Creator.
A new year is a great time to recalibrate. Last year was a mix of joys and sorrows, goals accomplished and goals missed, friendships gained and friendships lost, year of pandemic, new jobs and some lost—but now it’s behind us. Choose God first this year! The proper response to the past year, whether good or bad, is not “I made it through” or “Look what I achieved.” It should be “Thank you, Lord!” Purposefully remembering God’s goodness instead of our own performance is a great way to begin again.
A new year is the perfect opportunity to pray and reflect. May this year be brighter as you push into Christ. Let’s spend time in prayer recounting what Christ did for us. Let’s repent and fully worship his Majesty. Let’s renew our minds and commitments to Jesus first, then marriage, family, and church. Let’s rest this year. Don’t let the whisper of the enemy say you have less worth because you blew your resolutions last year. Jesus loves us unconditionally, and He doesn’t need our perfect performance to call us home and empower us for His mission.
So as we make plans for 2021, let’s remember that even in our failures, we serve the One who remembers our frame and knows we are dust (Psalm 103:14). Trust your future to the King who holds the world in his hands.
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