A New Year, A Clean Slate

I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ... one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Paul's letters to the Philippians

A new year has arrived and with it an opportunity to begin again. I love that we put so much emphasis on fresh starts at the new year. And I love that it follows close on the heels of the Christmas season. We take our second chance just a week after we acknowledge the ultimate sign that God is a God of second chances.
One of my favorite Disney movies is "The Lion King" and one of my favorite scenes is when adult Simba meets Rafiki, the mandrill shaman, for the first time. Simba has run away from home because he believes he has done things too terrible to face or atone for.

Simba: I know what I have to do. But going back will mean facing my past. I've been running from it for so long.
[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick]
Simba: Oww. Jeez... What was that for?
Rafiki: It doesn't matter, it's in the past.

Sound familiar? "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."
There is a poem I had to memorize in grade school that, while not a very good poem, expresses a wonderful sentiment. It is "The Land of Beginning Again" by Louise Fletcher Tarkington. You can go read the whole thing but I will post the closing lines.

I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again,
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches,
And all of our poor selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door
And never put on again.

So, this New Year's Day I want to begin again. I want to be the husband my wife wants, the father my children need, the aiman my country deserves, and the servant my God demands.

What do you want to take a second chance at? Where do you need to begin again? Whatever your resolutions are you can achieve them.

It's in the book.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." - Peter
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Paul

  ¶ Sunday, January 01, 2006