“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” – Psalm 104:8-13

Many embrace the beginning of a new year as an opportunity to start anew, wipe the slate clean, and set a new course. New attitudes. New habits. New commitments to new goals or re-commitments to goals already set, but not yet achieved. Each January, most, if not everyone, will give change and new beginnings at least a thought…change does not come easy at any other time in our lives.

We have been convinced by the world, by other people, or even by ourselves that there is no way we can be set free from past actions or events, bad choices, words spoken or unspoken, deeds done or left undone, and on and on.

The opportunity for new beginnings…the opportunity to make real change in life, does exist. Not just at the beginning of each year but every day of our lives. Those opportunities are provided to everyone – not by a world that will pass away, but by the one Who created the world. Psalm 104 is just one of the many promises from God that explains that our past does not have to dictate what our lives can become. The choice is ours!

~ Mark Knapp – Beck’s Chaplain