Let’s Take a Deep Breath
Lamentations 3:39-41 Why should any who draw breath complain about the punishment of their sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven. (NRSV)
I don’t know about you, but as these final days of the year tick over, I tend to become quite contemplative about the year that’s been, prior to turning my mind to the year that lies ahead. It just seems to be such a natural thing to do.
One of the things that can weigh so heavily on your mind is the consequences of the mistakes we’ve made over these last twelve months. And let’s face it, we’ve all made mistakes. I don’t think that’s such a bad thing, you know.
Perhaps we want to grumble about those consequences, perhaps we think we’ve been hard done by in some respects, but maybe this isn’t such a bad place for us to begin to turn the page, so to speak.
This word came to Israel at a particularly difficult time in their history:
Lamentations 3:39-41 Why should any who draw breath complain about the punishment of their sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven. (NRSV)
It’s a good thing for each of us to examine our ways – where have we failed, where have we strayed, what are those well-worn paths that we simply don’t want to tread yet again in the new year?
Because that’s how new beginnings begin. That’s how we avoid the pitfalls of the past. That’s how we tread new paths.
So, let’s all take a deep breath. Come on, seriously.
Test and examine your ways and return to the Lord. Lift up your heart as well as your hands to God in heaven.
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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