January 2
Hebrews 13.6-8
6 So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Yesterday began a New Year. The number changes. The month goes back to the beginning. The page turns again. The days of winter are passing and we know the next season approaches, even if it seems far away today. The cycles of life continue. And the movement of life around us also moves forward. Forward into a future that seems to constantly change.
A few years ago we saw drastic changes, many of which have reverted. Other things still are in that changed state. We can go back further and see that the changes made over 20 years ago in airports are still here. Things are more cautious in mass transportation. We can see that many things change in our lives. The world is a very different place from the one we remember as kids. And mostly better.
Life, and the society in which we live, has moved forward. Whether we like each piece of that change or not, it is where we live. We can complain about the things that make us uncomfortable, or that make us cringe, but this is where we have been placed. And with everything that can happen around us, the comfort we have is that God will be faithful to us always. He doesn’t change.
We don’t fear the future. Regardless of who is in charge in government. It won’t matter who is the boss at work. It will not be about the interest rates, inflation rates, or even the Neilsen ratings. The writer of Hebrews comes to the end of this collection with this assurance. The one we follow is steadfast and true. The same yesterday and today and forever. He is faithful forever.
Song – Great is Thy Faithfulness
Prayer
For all the possibilities ahead in this new year, make us thankful, O Lord. Give us wisdom, courage, and discernment in the face of so much chaos, despair, and fear. Help us to see how, in our circumstances, we can contribute toward peace, faith, and love. And give us the will to translate our desires into action. Amen.