A new year means a new hope

By Pastor Stuart Weist

First Baptist Church of Preston

Do you like change?  Me either, I have always been a man of routine.  While working for an engineering firm in my 20s an engineer once told me “The only constant in life is change”.  I did not believe him; however I have found his statement to be truer than I ever thought possible.  Twenty years ago, I was a kid that thought he could conquer the world.  I traveled using maps (yes, paper ones), drove a company car, had a cell phone that fit in a briefcase (cutting edge at the time), and gave reports to a secretary for “data entry.”  Now I do data entry from a microcomputer that is also a phone which fits in my pocket.  Yes, as the years march on change seems to truly be the only constant in life, but why must there be so much change?  Scripture provides the answer for us.

Scripture is filled with talk of change.  We see a change in the heart of mankind in the garden (Genesis 3). We see change with the flood of Noah (Genesis 7). We see a change in the hearts of Israel throughout the Old Testament.  We see the change of hearts of the disciples in the Gospels, change in the treatment of believers in Acts, change in even the way we view one another.  So why all the change?  The short answer is Sin.  Every trial, difficulty, and stumbling block in the history of mankind has the same common denominator, sin. In the past few years, we have seen the wretchedness of man’s heart put on display as neighbors argue with one another.  Vulgar signs now dot the yards of once peaceful friends and the news sounds more editorial in nature than factual.

Yet for all the change there has been one constant, Christ.  Christ’s offer of salvation and forgiveness has not changed.  In fact, Hebrews 13:8 states that Christ “is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  In a world of constant change, God alone remains the same.  It is this truth that ought to give you great hope and a renewed joy in 2022.  For when you have Christ as your Savior you are given a new heart (2 Corinthians 5:17), a heart of love, mercy, and long suffering.  A heart which knows that no matter what challenges may come, Christ will be with you.

Friend, I don’t know what’s going on in your life or what your new year may hold, no one does.  However, I do know that the Lord will remain the same.  That if you will place your trust in Him and let Him lead your heart, He will provide you with a peace unlike anything the world can offer.  A peace which brings hope and joy to your life.  Why not start the year off right by getting right with Christ or perhaps renewing your relationship with Him and enjoying a new, everlasting hope in this new year.