January 1, 2012. It is another new beginning.

What beginnings are you looking forward to? What things are you glad to put behind you? What are the blessings that you hold from 2011? What are the anxieties and anticipations of the new 2012 year? Where are you continuing on, and where are you starting over?

The good news is that God is all about new beginnings:

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. (Genesis 1:1-4a)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
     "See, the home of God is among mortals.
     He will dwell with them;
     they will be his peoples,
     and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
     Death will be no more;
     mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
     for the first things have passed away."
And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." (Revelation 21:1-5a)

Blessings to you in this new year. May you experience God's newness every day, and may you remember that in God's grace, you are a new creation!