Ah, New Year’s Eve.  Gotta love it.  Whether you’re a “watch the ball drop no matter what” kind of person or not, there’s something about the fresh start of a new year that we all love.  It’s a time to break free of the mistakes, pain and poor choices of the past and set a new course for the year ahead.  Tonight we celebrate new beginnings, fresh hope and exciting possibilities.

As we sail into 2010, I wanted to remind all of us that God is very much into new beginnings.  Here’s Jeremiah’s celebration of that:

The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

-Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB)

It’s absolutely impossible to outrun the grace, mercy and compassion of Christ.  It doesn’t matter what your year has looked like, how badly you have failed or how far you have wandered.  All that matters in the moment where we want a fresh start is the grace of the One who is Faithfulness.  He is true.  And kind.  And gracious.  He loves you.  His mercy is new every morning.  And it’s waiting for you.

Maybe today is the day where you make a break with the mess of the past and prepare to face the dawn of a new year fully in the arms of the God who made you.  It was the Apostle Paul who wrote, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phillipians 3:13-14)  Where ever you are ringing in the new year, I pray you do it rejoicing in the mercy of the God who calls us heavenward.

Here’s to new beginnings anchored in the hope of an ancient cross.

Happy New Year,

John