| What's New? What's Happy? |
|
WHAT’S NEW? WHAT’S HAPPY? The same old greeting Every year it’s the same. ‘Happy New Year!’ rings out. At least that is logical. The New Year begins at midnight, and why not want to see people happy? Truly happy folks are not usually thugs, muggers, or social nuisances. (Drunkards are not truly happy!) But ‘Happy New Year!’ raises some questions. Is it sincerely meant? Do people really expect something ‘New’ this coming year? And how ‘Happy’ will they be, and for how long? Sincerity An imaginary conversation I heard between an American mugger and his victim ended with his words, ‘Have a nice day!’ That was a joke. The humour was in the mugger’s obvious insincerity. But how sincere are we? Do we really care about the happiness of all those to whom we wish a ‘Happy New Year’? Like the mugger’s ‘Have a nice day’ it can have an empty ring. Does the welfare of people in this hurting world really concern us? If so, what do we intend to do about it this year? The best resolution I could possibly have throughout this year would be to help individuals turn to Christ as Saviour and Lord. That blessing would last through all their years ahead and throughout eternity. Jesus came to give them eternal life! What’s ‘New’? Looking back over last year, was there really anything fundamentally new in your experience? Newly weds and new employees may claim new experiences – and valuable ones, at that. But even those blessings will become part of life’s routine as time ticks by. But there is something ‘new’ that remains always new! When a sinner turns from all the wrong he has done and puts his whole trust in Jesus, who carried his sins on the cross when taking God’s punishment in his place for those sins, he experiences a completely new life. God comes to live within his heart through the Holy Spirit. (‘He’ and ‘his’ also include ‘she’ and ‘her’, of course!) A new sense of forgiveness, peace and God’s daily presence follow! That newness is renewed each day in prayer and reading God’s word, the Bible. Happy? What makes today unhappy for so many people is what happened yesterday, and what is feared tomorrow. The Christian personally knows the all- powerful God who forgives and overrules all our yesterdays and promises to keep us in all our tomorrows, until we enter Heaven to know His blessings forever. Just think, Hell’s punishment is thereby avoided and Heaven’s blessings are guaranteed! No wonder the Bible says that anyone trusting Christ enjoys ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory’! Now, that would make your New Year ‘Happy’! Gerard Chrispin |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
