Reminiscing

Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages. For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. (Psalm 135:13-14 ESV). I am writing this devotional on the first day of the New Year. Mary and I spent New Year’s Eve together. Though we were with all of our children and grandchildren for Christmas, we returned to Middle Tennessee prior to the start of this new year. We had a good time doing some things by ourselves and almost made it to the ball drop at midnight! Sadly both of us fell asleep at 11:45 pm and woke up just minutes before the actually turning of the clock. I’m sure you are wondering what I am doing “working” today; however, with a little time on my hands and a thought rolling around in my head, it seemed the right thing to do. It is a time for reflection and reminiscing. Some of that was brought on by calls and texts from family and friends; some of it comes from the simple changes that inevitably take place with the flip of the calendar. I have thought about many people in my past. Many have sent notes or called to simply say hello. Even though we may only “talk” a few times each year, you are on my mind often. The list is extensive, so I’ll not single anyone out. God has blessed us in that. In fact, His blessing has been evidenced in many things this year. The year of 2015 has been full of surprises and twists in our journey. Through all of it I have seen the truth of David’s psalm revealed in our reading today. The name of the Lord endures forever. Think of that. When nothing seems to be forever, His name is. One of my friends who called earlier today mentioned how hard it is to just keep going. This is not due to any particular struggle or trial. It is simply a truth of getting a bit older. As time passes, we are affected, physically and emotionally. Mary and I couldn’t have designed a better year than we have just finished. Our health continues to be good; we have family and friends that love and encourage us. However, there are those empty seats at the table. You know what I mean. We have as many wonderful treasures on this side as we do on the other. The “good old days,” while genuinely good, have transitioned to a different good. I miss some of those things while looking forward to new things and the reuniting of others. And then I remember, none of that really is the best God has in mind for me. His NAME endures forever. That means all of the temporal things that have made me so happy, so blessed, are really just temporay glimpses of what he has in mind for eternity. That’s why David mentions vindication and compassion. We get to win in every way possible because of what Jesus has already done for us. So, while we reminisce and sing our “Auld Lang Syne,” be encouraged by the future He has planned and purposed for us!