A New Start

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:3-11 ESV).

 

A story is told about a factory burning down that was owned and managed by the great inventor Thomas Edison. It happened on December 9, 1914. As the factory burned, great geysers of green flame, fueled by laboratory chemicals, shot into the air. Fire departments from eight towns rushed to the scene, but the building was all but leveled. Much of Edison’s work was destroyed in the process. Many friends and well-wishers, expecting Edison to be devastated, sent messages of condolence and support. To one he replied, “I am 67; but I am not too old to make a fresh start.” Within three weeks the Edison factories were restored to some semblance of order. Soon after that, they were running at two shifts. The speed of the recovery, one observer said, was almost as spectacular as the disaster.

 

The New Year is often seen as an opportunity to start over. Maybe you’re tired of the way things are going and you feel like it’s time for something different, better, more rewarding. Or, maybe you’ve experienced other areas of hurt that have set you back and now you are frustrated, afraid, discouraged, or worried. Or perhaps you just feel trapped by harmful habits, behaviors, and attitudes that keep you from being the person you desire to become. Whatever the case, you feel stuck and a fresh start sounds attractive to you. You know God is calling you to a life more abundant than the one you’re experiencing right now.

 

The good news of the gospel is you can. The bad news is that most people give up; they settle for second best; they don’t start over; they stay stuck. Please don’t allow that to be you. Remember that God is committed to carrying on the work He has started in you. There is unlimited grace, mercy, forgiveness, healing, and newness of life for anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. That’s true on the New Year and each day of our lives!