We can start over and change anytime, we feel the need, and there is something about a new year that speaks of new beginnings. It is a natural division visited upon us by the calendar. The way it so happens toward the end of the year, we in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas, and the New Year in around a five-week period. After partying and eating and spending time away from the rigors of routine, we anticipate the break in the rhythm of life for some downtime. After some time, a routine seems like a tough taskmaster, yet after spending time out of our usual procedures, we long for the good old accustomed everyday practices of life.

On the first Monday of this year, I noticed that when I went to the gym, it was more crowded than usual. Around the middle of February, shortly after eating some Valentine’s Day candy, many will give up on their new health routine. How are some people able to begin new habits and others seem to struggle? There could be many reasons; each of us will have to find the motivation and desire to make the needed changes in our life.

Regardless of all that took place last year, each one can turn the page and start again. I am aware that some things will still need to be dealt with and figured out from the previous year. Yet a new day also brings new opportunities as well as a challenge or two.

One place to start is to relinquish all the yesterdays. What has happened has happened. There is no way to go back and change past actions or events. Tomorrow is not here yet, and therefore we have to focus on today. It is all we have, and it is all that we are promised. The best thing is to give yesterday and tomorrow to the Lord. He is not only Lord of our present; He is Lord of the past and the future.

Daily seems to be the operative word. We are to pray, “give us this day our daily bread.” There is no command to pray for a month or year of provision. We must ask daily. Living and praying daily helps us to keep depending upon God moment by moment. Jesus told us to carry our cross daily. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow, live confidently, trusting God each day. I have just started reading Mark Batterson’s new book, Win The Day. I have found it to be a real help and encouragement. He reminds me to focus on doing the right things today, doing what I can do today, and leaving both yesterday and tomorrow in God’s Hands.

If you and I do the things that we need to do today, and we start over again tomorrow with the idea of living daily, after a while, we can get a week, months and a year, and so on.

How about it friend? Yesterday ended at midnight and tomorrow begins at midnight tonight. Let us serve the Lord today.

Get ready, set, go!

Here we go, let’s live each day of 2021 for the Lord

Leave a Reply