May the Lord bless you
JANUARY 1, 2008 (TUESDAY)
Welcome to 2008. This is the year we elect a new president of the U.S.A. This is a leap year, with 366 days instead of 365.
A new year offers the opportunity to observe some customs. Parties are popular, and celebration takes place at the midnight hour. Auld Lang Syne is a favorite song to be sung as the old year fades away. People have special meals for various reasons. Blackeyed peas are popular on New Years Day. Eating them is thought by many to bring good luck. Most people who eat blackeyed peas on the first day of the new year do not have “luck” on their minds; they simply serve these legumes because it’s a popular custom.
What about it? Do you believe in “luck?” The word, “luck,” seems to imply a mindless fate, a random result without true meaning. I prefer “providential,” which means that God is active in our daily lives. The word accompanying it is “blessing.” Of course, I should not seize every chance I have to correct people when they say, “luck” or “lucky.” Most people who use such words are not trying to make a point; they are just recognizing that something good happened in their life, when it could have been something bad instead.
Let us trust the Lord in 2008 and beyond. Let’s eat our blackeyes on New Year’s Day, but let us not think that we can conjure up good luck that way. We must divest ourselves of all superstitions. Our faith is not a matter of bitter roots and incantations, avoiding cracks in the sidewalk, broken mirrors or black cats. It is believing in the Lord, totally, holding nothing back, and trusting Him completely. May we all do that every day this year.
As you begin the new year, keep in mind the words of the song, “God will take care of you, through every day, o’er all the way, He will take care of you, God will take care of you.” The Lord says, “Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’Il give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” (Isaiah 41:10, The Message)
Happy New Year!