As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Col. 3: 12-14.Ready or not, 2010 is here ! Happy New Year to everyone!!!. It seems like only yesterday that we were beginning a new century and now it is the beginning of the final year of the first decade. Time is so fleeting and uncontrollable. It seems we are never happy with the passing of time. It either goes too slow or way too fast. There is never enough time to do the things we enjoy and way too much time when we are impatiently waiting for something. So how will we fill the 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes of 2010? What will be our priorities for this clean slate we’ve been given?
I guess the traditional way to begin a new year is to write resolutions. Usually these resolutions are motivated by a need for self-improvement. We want to lose weight, eat more healthily, get in shape, stop gossiping, learn a new language, clean out the basement, etc. If your resolutions are like mine, they are neither kept nor become lasting habits. What goes wrong in this process? We all mean what we say, but rarely do we follow-through.
Perhaps we should begin the year using some of the traditions of our Jewish cousins. The Jewish New Year begins with Rosh Hashanah, traditionally a day of rest. According to this tradition, God inscribes each person’s fate for the coming year into a “book” on Rosh Hashanah and waits until Yom Kippur to “seal” the verdict. During the ten “Days of Awe” between the two days, a Jew tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other persons. Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for religious Jews. This holy day is observed with a 25 hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services.
I’m not suggesting we give up the parades, the football games, family get-togethers, parties or special meals that we enjoy on New Year’s. But I am suggesting that God is calling us through the scriptures to begin the year with a more spiritual center. Paul suggests that we clothe ourselves with the virtues that connect us to serving others, caring for them with a love that builds up, is tolerant and supportive. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven, be ever thankful and continue to worship and celebrate the good news that Christ dwells in us. God has chosen each of us. He seeks a daily conversation with us and wants a long-term relationship.
The gift of the Christmas Baby has come. How will we nurture and care for that gift? In order to faithfully begin this new chapter, we must “get in shape” with prayer, fasting, meditation and a conscious attempt to deepen our commitments to the service of others. We do not know what situations or events this New Year will reveal to each of us. I’m sure there will be a variety of positive and negative--but in each, God will be With Us. We must make the most of the time we are given to care for and nurture the Christ Child that lives in each of us. All that we need at any given moment is and will be provided. We think we are rushed or even “out of time,” but God has “appointed a time for every matter and for every work." (Ecclesiastes 3:17) Every path or even every task begins with a first step: let’s take all our steps With God this year.
Oh Glorious and Generous God of the Universe, In Your infinite wisdom and plan, You have gifted us with a new year, full of possibility and promise. We thank you for this very blessed gift and pray that You will guide us as we attempt to learn how to serve You more completely. Help us to persevere in our attempts to practice new habits of prayer and study. Transform us with your grace to share your love with others in Your perfect plan of time and place. Amen.
Chyrl Budd
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