“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise Him, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.” Luke 2:21
Aller anfang ist schwer! So states the old German proverb which means, “Every beginning is challenging!”
That saying is doubly true for January 1st. In the world, of course, this day is celebrated as New Year’s Day. On the church calendar it’s called the Festival of the Name of Jesus, the Day of the Circumcision of Our Lord. In the world and in the church we focus our thoughts on something new. That circumcision marked Jesus as God’s own Son and set before Him the new path of the Messiah, the “Chosen One”, to work our salvation. New Year’s Day brings us a blank calendar filled with opportunities.
The new baby Mary and Joseph brought to the temple brings to all people the promise of new life through the forgiveness of sins won for us by His atoning death on the cross. But with this newness comes challenge and often difficulties and pain. During His earthly life, Jesus knew all of these. Yet He lived with the peace of mind and heart that came from His close and abiding contact with His heavenly Father. The New year invites us again to name Jesus as the Lord of our lives, to follow His example of living in a blessed relationship with God, and to rejoice in the knowledge that, whatever the New Year brings, He is there for us as our Savior, our Guide and our Friend!
A blessed 2025 to everyone as we together walk with Him! Pastor Craig
