“You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled.” (Joshua 23:14)
Some years ago the Peanuts comic strip for New Year’s Eve pictured the following dialogue. “Well, here it is again,” Charlie Brown says to his friend Linus. “It’s the last day of the year and I did it again.” “Did what?” asks Linus. To which Charlie answers, “I just blew another year.”
I feel like joining Charlie. What do I see when I look back at the highway of this past year? So many of my thoughts, words, and deeds like so much litter lie in the ditch. How can I pick back up the trash of my words with which I’ve hurt people, not to mention my Savior? How can I pay the fine for littering the road of life with my sinful words and deeds? I’ve blown another year.
From the look back, I turn to the look up. What do I see when I raise faith’s eyes to Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever? Wasn’t he there each time I came with the penitent plea, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner”? Wasn’t he there in his Word and Holy Supper to assure me: “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace”? Isn’t he here tonight too one last time to repeat his sweet promises to me? Hasn’t he kept his promises also for the lesser needs of my body? Won’t he continue to make all things work for my good? Not one of his good promises has failed. That’s why I comfortably close out the old year and confidently enter the new one.
Prayer:
Lord, thanks for all your mercies this past year. Please walk with me into the new one. Amen.
From Together With Jesus: Daily Devotions for a Year by Richard E. Lauersdorf. All rights reserved.
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