It is a new year. Time for reflection, optimism, renewal, mourning, and/or celebration. Yes, the date is arbitrary and contrived. Why do we pause to celebrate a date that has no real or personal meaning to us? One reason is that we want measurements of our lives. We want to evaluate who we are and what we have done. We need affirmation of our accomplishments and that who we are has meaning and value.

As Christians, we are not immune to this need. However, we seek our value in something greater than time, culture, and society. We seek our measurements in the life and words of Christ. We find our value in His love and acceptance. We find meaning in being part of Him.

Our optimism is not mindless hope, but grounded in experience. We are optimistic for the future, because we know what God has done for us in our past. We remember the broken relationship that we knew was over but was healed through grace. We remember the struggle that only God could handle. We remember the failure that led to more of God’s strength and a deepened faith when He forgave us. We remember the blessing when God did something for us that we never expected. We remember God’s work and look confidently to the future.

We try - like everyone else - to make ourselves “better”, but we know that it is only through God’s grace that we can succeed. The apostle Paul wrote, “Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:13.) Paul did not forget what God did. Paul forgot what he did. Paul forgot his failures. He did not let them hold him back. Paul also forgot his successes. He did not live on past glories. Both of these types of memories are traps. Our focus should be not on what we did, but on what God did with us and how God can use us in the future.

A calendar year gives us the impression of a circular view of life. We go through cycles of time until our cycles run out. No. Christians know that time is linear and that God is moving towards the end of time when He will restore his creation. That knowledge gives us a sense of purpose. We know that our actions and God’s work through us have lasting significance that will outlive us. When we reach out to someone and show them unconditional love, we are making a lasting impact on - not just them - but on our world. A permanent impact on the future. Carry that sense of purpose this year. Know that we are changing the future when we connect with someone who needs love and grace.

The calendar changes and a new year begins. All is new again. However, there are constants in our lives that are not affected by the year. Our need for unconditional love and grace is the greatest of these constants.

In Peace,

Casey Musselman