January 1

GENESIS 1:1-2:25

MATTHEW 1:1-2:12

PSALM 1:1-1:6

PROVERBS 1:1-1:6

New Year. New Chapter. New Page. New Day.  

January first always comes with a sense of newness like no other day in the calendar.  We leave a year behind and look forward to the year that is ahead.  2013 may be a time of hope if 2012 did not go the way you dreamed it would. Or 2013 could be a time of euphoric expectancy if you had a wonderful year and are waiting for more. 

New years always come with new resolutions.  Raise your hand if you kept any of your resolutions from last year.  I know I can shamefully admit that I did not keep all of mine.  But now we have a new window of opportunity to do something fresh.  If you are reading this, then you are accepting a very big challenge in 2013 and committing yourself to several things.  First, you are committing yourself to the Mighty Warriors, to actively serve and honor this ministry.  Second, you are committing to reading through the entire Bible. It's not going to be easy but it will be fun and life changing.  And third, you are committing yourself to pursue God like never before.

As we look at today's readings, it is so fitting that Genesis and Matthew give us accounts of beginnings.  In Genesis we see God transforming chaos into the beauty of creation.  Dark into light and dust into man, we serve a God who's creative genius runs at the very core of who we are.  

And then in Matthew we see the genealogy of Jesus.  It is very easy to skip this portion of the Bible, but we have to understand that this is the start of the fulfilling of so many prophecies from the Old Testament.  This genealogy proves the "Messiah-ship" of Jesus.

So, as you read today, understand that God is a God of new things.  I don't know if 2012 was filled with joy or horror for you, but you now have the opportunity to put that behind and move forward.  I don't know what 2013 holds, but I know who holds 2013.  God makes all things new and in this new year let us trust Him like never before.