24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
-John 5:24-
The passing of a year, like buds in spring, offers hope anew. There is something about the new year that causes our hearts to rejoice: past mistakes, failures, and shattered aspirations are seemingly left behind.
But, sometimes, the new turns out to be just like the old. Think of those times when you’ve decided to turn over a new leaf-you promised yourself that things were going to be different. You told your spouse you were starting over, but the first thing you knew, your old ways took over, and gradually you sank into the misery of the old.
It’s easy to understand these frustrations. You’re like a soldier in a battalion who were helplessly outnumbered by the enemy. Every day you climbed out of your bunker and tried to gain new ground, but superior numbers of the enemy forced you back. And like the troops, you promised to do better another day, but you didn’t. Finally, reinforcements appeared: new people and fresh blood poured into your “lines.” The next day you went out as you had in the past but this time it was different.
The gospel is our reinforcement: it offers hope for a new tomorrow, because it promises new strength-the kind that makes it possible for us to attain a new life.
You may be saying, “That’s great for someone else, but not for me. How can I be sure?” The Bible says, “God does not show partiality” (see Acts 10:34). God does not make promises to just a few. He invites all people, “The one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37).
In Christ you can live victoriously, forgive graciously, and overcome triumphantly. Jesus said, “he who hears my Word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life and does not come into judgement, but has passed out death into life. That’s God promise to you.
A Blessed New Year to all.
