August 1, 2017 (Thursday)
It’s August 1, 2017. A day to be reminded of new beginnings just around the corner. New starts.
NFL Football: Dallas plays Arizona this Thursday.
School: Rockport starts classes August 21, less than 3 weeks from today.
T.V.: New shows and resumption of old ones begin to appear.
Church: It’s “roundup time.” As we get started in other things, let’s attend regularly.
“New Beginnings” is the name of many churches these days. Some are called “churches;” some, “fellowships”; some “ministries,” etc. The main idea in the name seems to be the new start that Christ gives when He saves.
How about you? Ready for a new beginning? A new start?
Here’s what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEV): “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” It’s easy to see, then, how a church could come up with the name, “New Beginnings.”
A realistic view of the Christian life takes into account the fact that we have our “ups and downs.” In spite of everything, we still sin, and find it necessary to start again. And again. I like what I heard Bill Glass say one day, “When I became a Christian, I became a repenting kind of person.” We don’t plan to fail or fall. We strive to become all that God wants us to be. But, if we sin, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous,” and as He forgives us, He expects us to keep on loving and serving Him. He wants me (and you) to experience the popular song, “..pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.”
Come on, August, month of new starts. Thanks for the opportunities you bring to get started again, and we really mean it this time.