by David Scott Robertson
Well, here we are...again.
Together we stand at the threshold of another new year.
For me, the week nestled between Christmas Day and New Year's Day has always been unique and special. Typically, I'm off work and on vacation, and this year is no exception. In my household and in my heart, these seven days have traditionally been a brief but important season of reflection and anticipation; an opportunity to evaluate what went right and what went wrong in the year prior - what worked and what didn't - and a chance to make adjustments and tweaks for a better tommorow. It reminds me of insects that hibernate all year and then come out for a week to lay eggs and then die. Then again, maybe that's not a good analogy!
It's the week after Christmas that I get caught up in all sorts of obscure projects. For example, today I cleaned out the glove compartment of my car. Now, it is immaculate. I have an envelope for each important category of paper in my glove compartment: emissions, warranties, insurance, and a miscellaneous envelope to stuff all the documents I didn't know what else to do with.
I polished a pair of boots today that had sat muddy in my garage for the last four months. This is the week I'll clean up my hard drive. I'll organize my closet, my chest and drawers, and I'll go through my junk drawer (you do have a junk drawer, don't you?) And so it goes.
It's funny, but I feel the urge to purge, the need to organize or agonize, and to sit down and "goal-set" so I can "goal-get" what I want to accomplish in the coming year.
Yes sir, the week after Christmas, for me, is an unusual time of organization and inspiration in preparation for the New Year.
As I ramp up for a new year, my excitement builds. It's like a football team starting out a new season with a perfect record with no losses. It's a chance to begin again with a clean slate - at least emotionally.
Although there are countless (unaswerable) questions that could cross my mind about what the future year holds, I balance these with those truths I know to be non-negotiable and firmly established. These rock-solid truths bring stability and courage into my life. For example...
...I know that my Redeemer lives.
...I know God is my Father.
...I know Jesus is my Lord.
...I know the Holy Spirit will be my faithful Guide to help me find my way.
...I know God's Word will not change.
...I know my eternal destination of heaven is settled and fixed.
...I even have my faith to hold on to concerning less stable truths in my life. For example...
...Faith that my marriage will endure another year.
...Faith that my career will continue to provide an income for my family.
...Faith that our health will hold up.
...Faith that my daughter Abigail will continue her trend of excellence.
...Faith that "there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Psalm 91:10-11).
I know the scriptures say: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
To be honest with you, God is not the only One that looks to faith as an indispensible commodity. I need it too. My faith in God, my faith in the love of my wife and family, my faith in the love of my church family and friends, my faith in my country and its ideals, all spur me on to face the New Year with hope.
I'm going to end this thought with a statement that I hope you can mentally and spiritually grab hold of and repeat it out loud as your own.
"THIS NEXT TWELVE MONTHS IS GOING TO BE THE GREATEST YEAR OF MY LIFE."
I dare to believe God for it. How about you? Do you dare? If yes, go ahead and say it out loud as a declaration to God, to the devil, and to yourself.
DSR
12/28/03