Brand New Year!

...and hopefully some brand new habits, replacing bad ones with good ones! I am not one for New Year's Resolutions, because I don't like disappointment, but on Sunday, December 27, our pastor taught on the significance of the first day of the civil year, known more commonly to us as Rosh Hashana. While we as believers are not bound to Levitical law, the ceremonies and celebrations give us insight into our new covenant relationship. In Lev. 23:23-25 it says, "The Lord said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites;" On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest (Sabbath), a sacred assembly commemmorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the Lord by fire.'" This is a time to reflect on God's goodness and mercy. The shofar horn was blown on New Year's to: assemble God's people, to "perk up our ears" spiritually, to call to repentance and to remind us of God's forgiveness and mercy. This was also a time for repenting. In Romans 2:4, we read "and do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness? Do you think lightly of His forbearance and patience not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" God set apart the first part of the year as a time for His people to repent. God's goodness draws us to repentance...and a desire to live our lives differently.

And so at the end of Pastor Jim's message, he asked those who want to commit their lives anew to Christ, who want a brand new start, to come forward and pray....and so I did-(not usually one to do that either). I want this year to be different, and while I am not one for resoultions, this year I am resolving simply to "Na as vaneesma" to "listen and obey." I want to look back at the end of this year and when the shofar blows again to bring another year, it will be a time for rejoicing. My daily goal will be to simply, LISTEN and OBEY. So if you pray for me this year, please pray that I will hear God's voice clearly, LISTEN to Him and OBEY!"

Here's the poem/prayer that Pastor Jim ended with. It is my prayer, too!

Dear Master, for this coming year,
Just one request I bring.
I do not pray for happiness,
Or any earthly thing.

I do not ask to understand,
The way Thou leadest me,
But this I ask, Teach me to do,
The thing that pleaseth Thee.

I want to know Thy guiding voice,
To walk with Thee each day.
Dear Master, make me swift to hear,
And ready to obey.

And thus the year I now begin
A happy year will be,
If I am seeking just to do
The thing that pleaseth Thee.

Lashing Tova--Ketivah ci-chatima Tova!= May you be inscribed and selaed for a good year!

La Shanah Tovah Tekaten! = May You Have a Good Year!

(You can hear Pastor Jim's message by downloading it from campusbiblechurch.com, click on the podcast for Dec. 27, 2009)