Happy New Year
Wednesday, 4 January 2012 Leave a Comment
A very happy new year to you from all of us here at Ashurst Drive Baptist Church. At this time of year, it is a time when many of us look back over the last year; what have been the highlights? What have we achieved? What have we not achieved? Perhaps for you as you look back on 2011, it will be a year of memories you will treasure. Or perhaps 2011 is a year filled with times you would rather forget. For many people, a new year represents a time for a new start. A chance for things to change, to refocus on our goals.
It won’t have escaped your attention that this year is an important year for London and indeed the UK as we host the 2012 Olympic Games. Many athletes are training hard and looking forward to the opportunity to compete for Olympic gold at this year’s games. The apostle Paul used the illustration of an Olympic athlete to speak about the troubles we often face trying to run the Christian race.
Even seasoned athletes have times they would rather forget and so do seasoned Christians. Paul says:
“Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)
This New Year is a chance to refocus our attention and fix our eyes on Jesus who helps us to run the race well and to win the prize! May you know God’s peace and his blessing in 2012.
