I decided to do advent devotionals on my post, but haven’t done it in so long I didn’t realize that my blog was no longer up and running. It took some days to get it settled since I was on vacation with my husband when I tried to post and couldn’t.
It makes me wonder how serious am I about writing. I say I want to be a writer and have some great ideas, but I am far short on the follow through. So today is a new beginning. I’ll start now before the New Year begins…
New Beginnings
When Norm and I prepared to move to New York, I decided to change my name from Patti to Tricia. After Norm stopped laughing, he asked me why. I told him that I wanted a more mature name, but really, I wanted to change who I was. I felt insecure and insignificant. I thought changing my name would help. When my new neighbor asked my name, I paused and debated with myself. I thought, “I change my name here and now, or I’m Patti for the rest of my life.” New beginnings…
I loved the first days of school. I had new books, new pencils, new notebooks, new classmates and a new teacher. They were symbols of a chance to do better at school, to refrain from procrastination and to be more outgoing. New beginnings…
Each New Year we make resolutions. We see January 1 as a new start, an opportunity to improve ourselves. We determine to be better parents, better spouses, to be more kind, more generous, exercise more, eat less, simplify…and the list goes on. New beginnings…
The Israelites celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On that day, they repented of sins and recommitted themselves to the Lord. The priests lay their hands on the head of a Scapegoat, symbolically placing all their sins on the goat. Then they sent it into the desert and watched their sins disappear from sight. They began each year with no sin or guilt to hinder their walk with God. New beginnings…
Our ultimate “do-over” came with Jesus Christ. With His death and resurrection, He not only paid the penalty for our sins, He gave us the ability to walk in obedience to God. Our sins are no longer held against us. The Holy Spirit helps us live a life that honors God. New beginnings…
But God knows us better than we know ourselves. We continue to sin as our best intentions get lost in the day-to-day distractions of life. He gives us a new beginning every day of our life. Every day we can repent, we can make restitution, we can move forward, following God with all our hearts, mind and soul. And when we fail, it’s not the end. It’s another chance for a new beginning…
The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
TRICIA LATHROP 