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One of my favorite things about the human race is its capacity for optimism.  We weave all sort of things into the nest of our lives in order to provide us some comfort and encouragement for facing the unknown of life yet experienced.  The expectation of the new year is one example of the irrepressible urge to find a “bright side.”

Isn’t it fascinating we find ourselves talking about an imaginary division of time as if the movement of one moment to another made any tangible difference at all?  The new year is somehow imbued with magical powers.  We can leave the troubles of the year previous behind.  We may purpose to do something better in the year to come.  We may make a significant change in our vocation or education. 

All because of a drop of the crystal ball.

We know in our hearts, however, the debt of the past year will haunt us in the year to come.  We know the broken parts of our lives will still need repair in the year to come.  We know while the year to come may contain days of great joy, it also may bring great disappointments or even days of disaster.

Yet we resolve to press on.  Ever asked why?  This week my friends at Main Street will continue to work our way through the gospel accounts of the life, work and teaching of Jesus Christ.  We will carefully consider the practical ways Jesus kept focused on the important areas of life, keeping his priority obedience to God, God’s kingdom and service to others. Knowing full well his end would be in death on the cross, bearing the sin-weight we created, Jesus resolved to complete the course. Because Jesus did finish, we also may resolve to follow.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8, NASB95)