Do-Overs – New Year’s Day 2017


Psalm 121
A Song of Ascents.
1I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Tomorrow the world will break out in a frenzy of parties and celebrations because the clock chimes midnight on a new year. Because of all the hype, I think that we have become psychologically wired to see that “newness” as a fresh start. In reality, it’s just another midnight. But we like the idea of newness and a do-over. And really, that is such a wonderfully Christian concept – the do-overs. Every single morning is the dawn of a do-over for us because the mercies of God a new every day. The blood of Jesus covers every sin and we are new creation because of that grace.

Because of the holiday, I’ve chosen to focus on Psalm 121 this Friday. These words bring our focus back to our Center and our Source – the All-Powerful God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we look back on 2016 we may not be wildly encouraged. There were many, many struggles throughout the last 12 months. But when we turn our eyes back on Jesus we know that all things are still solidly under His control. He doesn’t take a break from us or from taking care of us. The Lord has not let the earth slip from His fingers. He has not decided to take a nap or leave us to our own devices. Instead, He is our Keeper and our shade. He alone can keep us from evil and guard our very lives.

Read the psalm again (and again and again) with 2017 in mind. You can count on each morning of the new year to be a do-over from the failings of the day before. Jesus is still your Savior and He will not change His mind about you. He will always be our Center and our Source. Happy New Year to all of you. Make it a “Do-Over” Year!

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