The Year of Our Lord, 2023

At the end of the year it's natural to look back, take stock, reflect on what has been done, and what has not been done. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why, as we understand as we read in Genesis 1, God divided our lives with years, seasons, months, weeks. They break up our lives, help us to give meaning to and perceive patterns in different phases, and have time to relate it back to our Creator's purposes for us.

But when we do that, we must not stop with only the reflection upon what we have done, and what we have not done. Because that will always be inadequate. At best we will only be able to say "we are unworthy servants; we did no more than it was our duty to do". From there we must proceed to rest in what Jesus has done for us. Our years will have had many inadequacies. But the righteousness of Christ in which we stand clothed in the presence of God, has no lack, no defects - it is perfect and entire. The offering he made for our sins, and the life that he lived to the glory of God - in these we can rest. We can say "it is enough, and much more". We can lay our heads down at the end of another year and say "Jesus is sufficient to lead me out of this year, and into the next, and as many as there shall be, until I see his face."

The Year of Our Lord 2023 dawns. May the glorious name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be glorified throughout yet more of the earth. Amen.