A bit of goodness, beauty, and truth

 A friend sent me a hilarious text yesterday with the meme "I'd like to cancel my subscription to 2021. I've experienced the free 7-day trial and I'm not interested."  Yep, that about says it all, doesn't it?! Surely none of us assumed 2020 would pass and the dawn of a new year would bring all happiness and light, but good night, the start to this new year has been (to put it charitably) a doozie. And. yes, a do--over would be nice. 

But since that isn't happening, can I just add a bit of goodness, beauty, and truth to the conversation? Yes, I know there's more than plenty to bemoan, to worry about, and to lament. And we all do. But can I remind us all that there's also so much for which to be thankful.  So much to savor and enjoy. So much to simply appreciate with wonder and joy. 

Can I share a few things that have not changed one iota with all the craziness swirling around us?  The sun rose yet again for the dawn of another brand new day this morning. Thank You Lord for a new dawn that a promises us that no matter how tough yesterday was, no matter how badly we botched it, we get to begin again. You have given us a fresh new start.  

And with those first rays of God's glorious sun breaking through the darkness, we're reminded of the Truth: "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him.'" (Lam.3:21-24). 

Those words, by the way, were not penned in the midst of a happy, prosperous time in Israel's history. No, just the opposite. They were written by the prophet Jeremiah after his nation had been decimated by her enemies. Their beloved capital of Jerusalem had fallen and been completely destroyed by the Babylonians, and the vanquished Israelites thrown into exile.  In the midst of such bleakness, Jeremiah calls to mind, he remembers, who his God is and what He has done. He recalls the good and beautiful Truth that God's love, faithfulness and mercy will never ever cease. Despite how their circumstances looked or felt, Almighty God had not abandoned His people.  He was still on His throne.  He would still somehow someway use even this all for ultimate good and His glory...and so Jeremiah--and we--choose to hope in Him.  

How about some more examples of goodness, beauty and truth?  The flash of brilliant red of the cardinal at our bird feeder. The hawk soaring overhead and shrilly crying out praises to its Maker.  The sound of our children's voices on the phone. FaceTime with our granddaughter (joy!). Laughter with friends...and the priceless gift of friends. My brothers and sisters--undeserved gifts in my life. Fat snowflakes floating down to the earth (but not sticking--thank goodness!) Hot tea. Chocolate (duh).

A few more: Reading God's Word in the predawn darkness and knowing that the Lord of the universe is right there with me, speaking, listening, loving, equipping, forgiving. Books--veritable treasure troves of goodness, beauty, and truth. Reading about and being inspired by the faithful life of Elisabeth Elliot...reminding us that God will enable us to be faithful all the way to the finish line. The dear women in our Bible study and the joy of getting to study God's Word together in community. Dinner with friends or family. Trees sparkling with lights even in the "bleak mid-winter." Music and singing. Grace. Truly amazing grace.

Yes, 2021, you might not yet be all you were cracked up to be, but you're still stuffed and overflowing with God's goodness, beauty, and truth! Because His steadfast love never ceases, His mercies never come to an end and are new every single morning, and great--infinitely and eternally great--is His faithfulness. 

So how about we place our hope in the One who will never fail us or forsake us?  Yeah sure, that absolutely does not mean we won't be trudging through plenty more hard, sorrowful, perplexing stuff. But it does mean the Lord God Almighty is with us and for us all the way. In our trudging and in our dancing. In our crying and in our laughing. And He will get us through to the other side. Not somehow but triumphantly. Because I've read the end of the story...and it's good, indescribably good, beautiful, and true. 

To God be the glory. 

For the New Year

  Woohoo--welcome 2021!  Happy New Year to everyone!  Just a couple of thoughts to begin this new year that the Lord has given us: 

First, a verse for the year just past--"Thus far the Lord has helped us." (I Sam.7:12). 

Yes, 2020 was quite a year full of challenges and hardships...but thus far has our infinitely good God carried us, strengthened us, loved us. If you're reading this, then you made it through all the muck and mess, all the sorrows and separation, all the difficulties and division of this past year. Whether you feel like you sailed through or just barely staggered through, God has chosen to allow you still to be here on planet earth.  He is still with you and for you.  He still wants to use you in this brand new year to encourage others, to share His love with a hurting world, to experience and enjoy His presence, to worship Him with all your heart, to bring Him glory with your actions and attitudes every single day. 

There are no throw-away moments in God's economy for He infuses each one of them with Himself. This day, this moment matters...so don't fritter it away in fretting and distraction. Instead, by faith and by His grace, live each of these irreplaceable moments to His glory. 

And all God's promises are just as real, true, and certain as the very first moment He spoke them into being in His Word. So let's stop worrying, dreading, doubting and instead start worshipping, depending, and acting on His promises. That begins by daily reading His Word and hearing His voice speaking directly to you. "So faith comes through hearing and hearing through the word of Christ."  Rom.10:17. How about hearing a little (or a lot) less twitter, instagram, cable news, and netflicks and a lot more of the supernatural, mind and life transforming Word of God?

Secondly, a verse for the new year of 2021: "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil.3:13-14)

Maybe you really blew it in 2020. Maybe on this second day of 2021 you've already fallen short on your highfalutin' goals for the new year. Can I tell you something? We all, all, all have sinned and fallen far short of the glory of God. (Rom.3:23) Welcome to the club of procrastinators, perfectionists, failures, and sinners. Just in case you never heard, the definition of a saint is someone who has "fallen down and gotten up...fallen down and gotten up...fallen down and gotten up...all the way to heaven." 

We've all messed up...and for this we have Jesus. His grace is ever and always sufficient. Hand Him your sins, your inadequacies, your bad habits, your weaknesses, your addictions. Instead of dwelling on all that's behind us--that we absolutely cannot change--let's take Paul's advice and "press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." 

Yes, let's be quick to confess and repent--which means stopping, turning around, and going in the other direction.  Our Abba Father is waiting to embrace us in His forgiving love and restore us by His grace. But then, it's time to stop dwelling on the past and ask our Heavenly Daddy to fill us again. To renew and revive us again so that we can get busy doing whatever He's called us to do on this day. Today--the only today that we will ever have. Our Lord will enable us to press on...but we've got to choose to forget what is behind and by His grace and for His glory, start straining forward to whatever He has for us ahead. 

We may not know the future (boy, has 2020 shown us that), but here's what we do know: God Almighty wins. He reigns. And He's promised that we are seated with Him in the heavenly places and will reign with Him in glory forever. So I'd say, ultimately, no matter what surprises this new year holds, He's got it; He's got us, and we will be more than okay. 

Thank You, Lord, for Your amazing faithfulness to us and bringing us through all the challenges of this past year. Thank You for Your ever-sustaining grace. Thank You for Jesus, our Savior, whose death on the cross saved us from our sin and whose resurrection assures us of abundant, eternal life. And now, please help us--for every day that You give us breath--to press on and to live by Your grace and for Your glory. And to You be all the glory forever and ever.