A New Year that calls for Promises; God's time that already meets his Promises.

A New Year that calls for Promises; God’s time that already meets his Promises.

We often wait until the clock strikes midnight on the first day of every new year.  It calls for celebration, happiness that the old will die and clear the past for a prosperous future.  Each one will cheer the change for one more year and all will hope for peace in the world.

Living in a fantasy world eliminates the grief and disappointments any of us may have experienced, but when we wake up the next day life’s let-down atmosphere reappears.  What happened the night before when a glass of spirits numbed our remembrance and a kiss or two gave to each the warmth of another to stand up against the ignominy of life’s threats.  Most might choose to forget the next morning and all will begin to fight off the same results of the past year.  

Let’s start this year with a look at what God promised beginning with Abraham.  The Lord said to Abram, “ Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.  All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.”  (Gn12: 1 - 3).

A promise to God’s chosen leader who would produce an endless array of people who would follow the greatness of the Lord forever.  Is this what we, who are following the same ideal, expect and move towards an unexpected victory by listening to Abram’s choice of obedience?  Looking back at our desires the year before and expecting new horizons have found that it takes a little more than a hope.  It will also need a lot of trust in what God promised to those who choose to find Christ in their vision of peace and happiness without falling into sin.  

Isaiah puts the promise of a Messiah who would change the future by attacking the evil of the world with selfless punishment promising the oath given to Abraham would come to fruition for all who believe and accept the Passion of his Christ.  But what about those who still want a life of pleasure, wealth, and power for their efforts?  

“Since these have chosen their own ways and taken pleasure in their own abominations, I in turn will choose ruthless treatment for them and bring upon them what they fear.  Because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened;  Because they did what was evil in my sight, and chose what gave me displeasure, Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word:  Yout brethren who, because of my name, hate and reject you, say, Ley the Lord show his glory that we may see your joy;  but they shall be put to shame, a sound of roaring from the city, a sound from the temple, The sound of the Lord repaying his enemies their deserts.”  (Is66: 3b - 6). 

Will this New Year call out for pleasure without God; will the hope for a new future become filled with the desire of the flesh and forget the very promise God told Abraham and Isaiah calling forth the promise of God to punish those who call his name but with a heart that fulfills his lust?

Ralph B. Hathaway