“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Dear Redeemer Family:
Happy New Year!!! The old has passed away. Literally, I have just written 2026 for the first time, above. The old year is gone. We now look forward to a new year, and whatever it will bring. I hope that it brings a better year for all.
There is a weird thing about time. We live in the present. We may, fondly, or not, look back on the past. Perhaps we recall some happy occasions in the past, or some mistake which we sincerely hope not to repeat. And we look forward to the future, not knowing what it will bring. But we are stuck on that fine line of the present. And to move forward in time, truly the present becomes the past, and we move into the future. Time is an interesting phenomenon which we do not fully understand, although I have heard some interesting theories, and we are stuck in it. Indeed, we don’t even control it. Time drags us forward into the future, and as it does, the old is inevitably left behind. The old passes away. The new moves in. It is the way of things.
In other words, everything changes. There are those who don’t like change. But it is going to happen whether we like it or not. Example: I once had fairly long, thick brown hair! That has changed, and I didn’t do anything to change it. The same person has been cutting my hair for over 35 years. She has cut it the same way. She didn’t change it. What did?
Change occurs inwardly and outwardly. Through faith, we have been changed as well. We who were born enemies to God – sinners; have now been reconciled to God. Did we do that? Did time? No, Christ did it. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God and made blameless in God’s sight. More than that, we have even been made and declared children of God! The old sinful self has passed. The old has passed away. And we are made new! The Holy Spirit works through us. We are new creatures in Christ. That is a big gift. We can but thank and praise God for it.
So in that light, have a very Happy New Year! For we are all made new in Christ!
Pastor Rose