A New Beginning

“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” -Micah 7

A New Beginning 

We often consider January 1st as a time of new beginnings. A new year, a fresh start, with resolutions to live a different life. But January 1st is just a date on the Gregorian calendar. (The Western world used to follow the calendar created by Julius Caesar, but changed to the Gregorian calendar because Caesar miscalculated time by one day every 400 years.) Either way, it’s just a date on an invented time measurement. Nothing really changes January 1st.

But we have an opportunity for real change every day, and we share that opportunity together every week. We call it confession. The Bible says in 1 John, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Now that’s a real new beginning! Everything we have ever done wrong, God hurls into the depths of the sea. God wants us to have a fresh start.

But, many people struggle to genuinely accept God’s forgiveness. We say the words at confession, we even want to believe it, but then we go fishing for our sins and bring them back into our lives. Charles Wesley wrote about it in that wonderful hymn O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing. In one verse we sing, “He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoners free.”

When God cancels our sin, we are free, but too often, we ourselves hold on to sin and remain prisoners of guilt, shame, and regret. A Christian resolution we all need to make this year is to let go of yesterday and live into the promise God has given us of tomorrow. Reject the guilt Jesus paid the price for and live a life in grace and hope. Resolve to change, or repent, and be blessed.

Welcome to a world of new beginnings,

Pastor Tom