“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”
With these words, Charles Dickens begins his classic story, A Tale of Two Cities. If one knew no better, it could be said that he was describing 2015. While some have seen blessings, prosperity, and hope, still others have experienced pain, loss, and misfortune. For some, 2015 was the best… for others, it was the worst. I would venture to say that, for most of us, it was somewhere in the middle. We take the good with the bad, and hope for a better year. With the dropping of the ball in Times Square, we hold friends and family close, and pray that 2016 sees a better year for all of us.
With the advent of 2016, we find before us a choice. We can remember the good times, and rest on our laurels, or, we can recall the bad times, and wallow in our misery. Personally, neither sounds like a great idea to me.
However, there is a third option: We can take the advice of the apostle Paul when he said in Philippians 3…
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 3:12-14
Regardless of the past, we have the opportunity to move forward. We have the opportunity and a prize before us, and it up to us to go after it, but we can’t do that while sitting on the trash heap of the past.
So what’s it going to be? The choice is yours.
For me and my house, we’re moving forward.
From our house to yours, Happy New Year! Go out and make 2016 a great one!
The Heart of Abba - Ron Phillips 