A "New" Year

It's the first blog post of the new year.

So... what's really going to be different this year?  I mean, really, what will be?

Oh, I could go on about how we are constantly changing as people, although that is over exaggerated.  If you do New Year resolutions... how many of them have been repeats?  Or I could point to my new son - isn't that something different?!?  Well, yes -- but that has very little to do with the turning of the page of a calendar.

Often we will mark January 1st as the time of new hope, of new dreams.

I have a slightly different take.  I'm still the same.  Still Eric Brown.  Still sinful.  Still beating down temptations.  Maybe from an outsider's perspective I've "grown" - maybe I've got a few pet sins contained so they don't pee on the carpets in front of the guests.  Maybe I don't.

The fact remains that yesterday I was a sinner, struggling through this life in a fallen world.  I remain that today.  Yesterday, I needed Christ and His mercy.  Today, I need Christ and His mercy.  Tomorrow, I will need Christ and His mercy.

You want to ponder change this New Year?  Well, I rejoice that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  I rejoice that just as I was forgiven and strengthened in 2013... Christ Jesus still is the same Savior He has been.  The Word of God still remains.  I am baptized, still.  It hasn't been revoked.  The Word of God is still preached.  The Supper still exists.

On account of Christ, I am forgiven.  And that change to 2013 to 2014... that's just a reminder that we are ever closer to the day when He returns, when we really will be changed, when we will be like Him, when we will be raised.

Does this sound dour to you?  Eh, not really.  I hope I enjoy 2014.  And I will.  And maybe there will be great sadness - I'm sure there will be.  That's the way of life in this fallen world - in the midst of tragedy we still see God's blessings and rejoice.  But take heart, Jesus Christ has overcome the world -- and this is true no matter how quickly those resolutions are broken, no matter how quickly disaster strikes, no matter if this year is worse than the last. 

Jesus Lives!  The Victory's Won!

True in 2014.