1-1-2014

Good Morning to All,

    Psalm 3:3; “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”

    So did you stay up and watch the ball drop in Times Square?  It was estimated that over a billion people watched it drop, either live or via television.  That’s a lot of people to watch something as simple as a ball dropping down.  It is a time honored tradition where we enter the New Year.  We always view the New Year with a certain amount of optimism.  We like to think that next year will be better than the last.  I think we do this because we are, basically, optimistic.  The problem is that often reality sets in and our optimism goes out the window.

    That may be because most of us are familiar with another form of “ball dropping”.  The kind that implies we came up short somehow.  You may have even used the phrased, “I dropped the ball.”  We use it to imply that we messed up or made a mistake.  Like the time you were supposed to make reservations for supper and forgot.  You dropped the ball.  You see it is somewhat ironic that we watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve and it is a good thing but any other time; if we drop the ball it is a bad thing.  Maybe watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve is really about us knowing that next year will be a lot like this year only one year older.

    The truth is that we, even though we are often optimistic at heart, we are still a broken and lost people.  We may even have the best intention but we still fall short. We still drop the ball.  We still fall short of God’s law which causes us all sorts of pain and anguish.  It damages our relationships with God and each other.  Falling short, dropping the ball, causes us to suffer in depression and sadness.  This becomes especially true when we recognize that we can never fully carry the ball; that we can never lift the ball up.

    Sin causes all of our pain.  It weighs us down.  It causes us to always look down as to avoid attack of the devil and the arrows that he fires at us.  The arrows of guilt, disappointment, despair, hopelessness and shame.  Yet God is our shield. He defends us against these and the other arrows that the devil fires at us.  He lifts our head up, tenderly and lovingly, and gives us hope.  God will never drop the ball or drop us.  His love and mercy sustains us through all things.

    So as we begin a New Year, let’s begin it with hope; hope in the promise of God.  Let us begin it as God’s faithful people; relishing in his grace and gifts.  Let us begin it as the Body of Christ; showing the world the love that is Christ Jesus, our Lord.  We don’t have to wish for a good year; we can trust in the certainty of God’s goodness and steadfast love to sustain us.

Gracious God, we look to you for our comfort and hope.  We look to you our shield.  Guard us from the devil’s arrows.  Lift us up and carry us as we are unable to do so.  Bring those who are suffering from the devil’s onslaught under your shield and arm.  Protect us by your grace.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret