“They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.’ And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.” Ezra 3:11-13
New Year’s Eve is the time when we tend to evaluate the past year and look to the new one with a hope of great things to come. Our best New Year’s Eve was December 31, 1981. That night our younger daughter was born and there was literally a party atmosphere in the delivery room. In addition to my wife and me, there were two doctors, three interns, a couple of nurses and an anesthesiologist. Rather than waiting for a ball to drop in New York City, we were awaiting the arrival of a child. While it was mostly a joyful event, there was also pain as my wife would have to recover from the surgery. While we like to label each year as good or bad, the reality of this life is that most years are a mixture of joy and sorrow. That was the mood as the exiles from Babylon viewed the foundation of the new temple. Those that remembered the former glory of Jerusalem wept at over the loss of what once was. However, there was also the joy of Jerusalem being rebuilt. It’s a good lesson in life…how to gracefully accept the joys and sorrows of life understanding that God has orchestrated our lives with purpose so that in the end we may be blessed with a joyful eternity.
Statistically, the longer we live the more trying events we will endure and the more often they will occur. The older we are, the more age, illness and death will affect us as well as our family and friends. As sorrowful as it is, it is also a benefit as our trials refine us and our sorrows teach us empathy. Further, they instill in us a greater appreciation for the positive events of our lives. How we respond is a choice. For the most part, the Jews did not choose to learn and to be refined. They also failed to teach their children to draw near to God and obey His commandments. In the end, their lack of godliness would cause them to deny their Savior and once again lead to the destruction of the temple. When trials come, we can choose to emote and deny God’s love or we can trust that He is at work in us and drawing us to himself.
Obviously, happy events instill in us a sense of joy and wellbeing. They revive us and encourage us. They also give us time to reflect and put our lives into perspective. However, that too takes a bit of initiative. It doesn’t just happen without effort. Appreciation and reflection are also choices…choices that provide the opportunity to draw us closer to God and our loved ones. For the small percentage of the Jews that chose to follow Christ, life was not easy but their eternal rewards were secured.
My perspective on life was enhanced by our friend Joni. As her husband and our dear friend Bob was battling cancer, she would often say that “every day is a gift.” How true that statement is. As scripture puts it: “this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Our days may often be difficult and trying, but those times are opportunities for us to open up to the refinement of the Holy Spirit, allow our Savior to sustain us and trust the love of our Heavenly Father’s as well as to teach others peaceful grace in adversity through our behavior. Further, when we appreciate our blessings in times of trials, we recognize that each day, and therefore each year, is a mix of joy and sorrow. A devastating diagnosis brings sorrow, but the appreciation of each day together brings joy. The trials of life may bring frustration and sorrow, but the sustaining grace of our Savior affords joy of knowing that we are not alone. The death of a loved one in Christ brings the sorrow of loss and the joy that they are experiencing all of the rewards of Heaven.
As we look back on the past year, let us appreciate the sustaining grace of our Lord through all that we have endured as well as the joys that we have experienced. As we bring in the New Year, let us anticipate it with mature hope. That is, with a hope that is fixed on Christ the “author and perfecter of our faith” rather than the hope of an easy year. The year ahead will likely be a mix of joy and sorrow, but if we look to Christ as our Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God and view our lives in light of eternity rather than our immediate experience, we will be open to endure every circumstance that comes our way with peace, joy and hope.
Have a blessed New Year,
Will