Monday, January 4, 2010
Luke 1:47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS; A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Of all the festivals celebrated by the Christian Church during the year, the one that most captivates the world at large is New Year's. The world stays awake as the last midnight hour of the old year passes, and after the last bell has sounded it greets the new year with rejoicing and well-wishers exchange greetings and express their hopes for the months to come.
Oh, if only the world knew its true condition, it would not rejoice, but weep. It would not put on festive clothing, but would instead cover itself with mourning clothes. There would be no shouts of joy in the air, but rather sighs for mercy from the throne of grace.
Oh, how many began last year with the most joyful hopes, and where are they now? Their bodies already decay outside in their graves and their souls stand before God's judgment. Their hopes at the start of the year rested upon the most unholy deception, for only the person who celebrates a happy Christmas can also celebrate a happy New Year. Only the person who knows that he has a Savior can set out comforted on the pilgrim's journey of this life.
Such a person may always be a poor sinner, but he does not deceive himself when he looks into the future with great joys, hopes, and confidence. In him, God will do more than he can ask for or understand. He has the Savior as helmsman and His cross as sail. He can, then, rejoicingly weigh anchor and boldly pilot on the open sea of life. His ship does not run aground, it is not wrecked, and it does not go under. Instead, it will certainly arrive in safe harbor, in this year or another one...
O Lord Christ, our Savior dear, Be Thou ever near us.
Grant us now a glad New Year; Amen, Jesus, hear us!
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 97:4)
-Excerpt taken from "God Grant It : Daily Devotions from C. F. W. Walther"
Concordia Publishing House, 2006.
