It’s a New Year. Did you make any New Year’s resolution/s? I gave up making resolutions many years ago, as I know that they are almost impossible to keep, even for a week or two.
Then one feels guilty and wonders why. Even wanting to be more like Christ is impossible. However, we have a loving Saviour, Jesus, and an “empowerer”, the Holy Spirit, who can come to us every moment in our day. A hymn which many of us learned for our confirmation, has become more meaningful the more my faith has brought me to this day.
O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend.
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
O let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
O guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in heaven receive me,
My Saviour and my friend. LHS 371vv1,5
A promise was made and, only with Jesus as our guide, can we be sure of being with him in the end. May we continue to be fed by his Word as we regularly come to his church.
As we go forward into the New Year of 2020 with renewed hope, we remember that the Christ-child was brought to the Temple for his naming and circumcision, as well as Joseph and Mary’s sacrifice of two young pigeons. It was in the temple both Simeon and Anna praised the Lord God for the privilege of seeing our Lord Jesus Christ before their deaths.
Luke 2:29–32: Lord you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have prepared in the presence of all people, a light for revelation to the gentiles; and for the glory to your people Israel.
Luke2:36a,37b,38: And there was a prophetess Anna … She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day … And coming up to that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Anna was 84 years old.)
Anna is a role model for many of us who are mature. We can never have a time in our lives when it is as imperative as now; when we do not need to tell everyone about the redemption of the world through Jesus, our Lord.
Prayer: Dear Lord God, who sent us a Saviour, Jesus in human form, so we can know that he feels our pain, forgive us today. Help us in 2020 to know you better. May this be our time to grow in love for you and your people across all countries. Amen.
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