What does the new year mean?

To the God of all eternity, the passing of one year and the beginning of a new probably means nothing.  Even for you and me, there is little if any difference between December 31 and January 1.  It is about like moving from Tuesday to Wednesday.  It is no big deal, except that it has been made a holiday.

However, for our welfare and instruction, God has been marking days, weeks, months and years since the beginning of creation.  He set the lights in the heavens for the marking and measuring of time.  God identified calendar dates to be noted, remembered and used by mankind for a variety of purposes, throughout history.

Curiously, God has not marked New Year’s Eve and Day with any significance.  That might be because “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).  Never wait for a particular day to make things right with the Lord.  Today is that (special) day.

Still, by whatever means useful, let us resolve to offer ourselves as true disciples of the Lord.  That is a sentiment that must be owned by all people.  The passing of one year reminds us that we must learn to “number our days” (Psalms 90:12).  They are passing.  The beginning of a new year stirs us to think about new opportunities and new beginnings.  That is true of every new day, but screams at us every new year.  What commitments are you now ready to make?