Hope For a New Year

With the passing of one year & the beginning of  a new one, it’s kind of natural to think about what’s gone behind you & what’s yet to come. I am thankful for the many blessings that God has given me, but the thing that marked me this year (and years past) has been struggle. Maybe you relate. It’s not that I’m not grateful. I am. And in some odd way (that I hope will increase in the future), I am thankful for struggle, because it leads to the end of me & my resources. Sometimes its hard to barely hang on, but God is faithful. He restores hope, even if it isn’t the way you would think, or in the time frame you expect. So for me in this new year, I’m looking to retire “struggle” and replace it with “Hope”.

Recently a friend of mine (Jud) told me about his news website, called People of the Second Chance (or POTSC for short). I really love their vision statement: “We are people of the second chance. A scandalous movement of radical grace in life & leadership. Failures & messes wanted.” Maybe you haven’t failed, or messed up in some huge way. But maybe you could use some radical grace this year. The good news is that there is more than enough grace in Jesus.

Maybe you just need some strength. You’re limping into this new year. You’ve been running & running. Now you’re running on empty.

If that’s you, let me offer some encouragement for your journey. Check out what God says in Isaiah 40 (MSG):

^25-26“So—who is like me?
Who holds a candle to me?” says The Holy.
Look at the night skies:
Who do you think made all this?
Who marches this army of stars out each night,
counts them off, calls each by name
—so magnificent! so powerful!—
and never overlooks a single one?

^27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.

I love this:

God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.

He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

Here’s to a new year, one filled with Hope & Radical Grace!