New Year is a great time for a fresh start! Don’t be discouraged by failed attempts at a clean slate, a new beginning, a fresh launch. Did you know that God is into fresh starts? We have been told, “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:23). The Bible speaks of many resets that are from God!
For instance, when God laid out the way of life for the Israelites way back when, He set up a Year of Jubilee (“jubilee,” meaning a time to blow the trumpets or shout for joy!) wherein every 50 years slaves were freed, debts were forgiven, and land was returned to its original owners. The people and the land were to rest for that special year of reset (Leviticus 25:23-38)! Sounds pretty good, huh?
New start. New day. New Year.
But what if a person didn’t want to wait 50 years for their fresh start. Consider then that God set up for the Israelites a new beginning every seven years (Deuteronomy 15:1-3). The Lord’s Remission was a time in which God said all debts were to be forgiven…let go…as if they never existed! Can you imagine? What a fresh beginning God provided. That would be a great way to start a New Year.
But you know there are some fresh starts that are more important than monetary ones. And one of these is finding rest and peace. Israeli or not, we all need rest and peace more than we can imagine. God instituted for the Israelites a rest He called Sabbath, which took place every seventh day. No work was to be done on this Sabbath day of rest. It was a joyful time to gather with loved ones, share meals, and recognize God’s provision. It is like a big, deep exhale…acknowledging that all is well in the hands of the Lord. This is something we all need deeply and that we can do weekly.
But what if you need a fresh start, a clean slate, a new beginning right now? This is fully possible! (This article is replete of exclamation marks because throwing off the weight of life and beginning anew is a big deal.) Don’t write a reset off as unrealistic or unattainable. God made a provision for a fresh start for all people, not just the Israelites. God has provided for you to be made a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
New start. New day. New Year.
This amazing promise is for everyone who asks Christ to be their Lord and Savior; they become new—totally reset spiritually speaking. Every debt of sin forgiven! Eternal life promised. A new creation. And then, through following Christ, you can be shaped day to day to be more like Jesus by His power working in you. Peace and rest are provided through trusting in the provision and care of God, for now and into eternity. *
For those who are already in Christ and have been bogged down by the cares of the world, losses, battles, and hardships, the Lord has provided a reset for us, too. He says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). The beginning of a New Year is a special time to make a fresh start. I Peter 5:6-7 provides the “how-to.” Today, take time to kneel before your Maker. Make Him big—all-powerful in your sight. Recommit to trust that He will exalt or lift you up in due time. Cast every care or anxiety you have on Him knowing that He cares for you completely.
New start. New day. New Year.
* If you want to receive Christ today, the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23). In other words, we are all sinners before a holy God. But through Christ dying for our sins, He has freely offered us forgiveness and eternal life. To receive Christ into your heart as Savior, the Bible says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Friend, take a moment now to bow your head and heart asking Christ to make you a new creation. If you desire help with next steps as a Christian, please reach out to me.