February 2009 - Vol. 31, No.2

THE REVEREND STEVE OSMAN WRITES:

Dear Friends

As I write this at the beginning of January, it strikes me that it’s not just New Year when there are new beginnings. If you’re in education, whether as student or teacher, September is the beginning of a new academic year. More importantly, the new football season begins in August. Financial years begin in April. The Chinese have their own new year and even the church starts its new year at the beginning of Advent. So new beginnings are happening all the time.

The other thing that strikes me is that, even as we say Happy New Year, we’re not sure if it’ll happen. There is so much bleak news in the financial world, there’s a real prospect of you or people you know losing their jobs. Yet again, the news items are about war and tragedy. Many face great uncertainty with health problems, not knowing if they’ll see another year in. There have been nearly 2000 New Years since Jesus of Nazareth walked this earth. I guess each one saw folk looking forward with hope, anxiety, joy and disappointment.

The cynical ones amongst us will say that not much has changed in those 2000 years, if anything things have grown worse – so much for Christianity. A Christian will say that life is what it is. In this world there will be ups and downs, good news, bad news, happiness and sadness. The difference for the Christian is that there are always new beginnings. When life is tough, Jesus gives new hope, when problems seem huge, Jesus helps us see the bigger picture. When obstacles seem insurmountable, Jesus gives us the motivation to keep going, to build a better world.

No one knows what the future holds – just as well most say. For the Christian, it’s not about facing an uncertain future, it’s about going into it with a sure and certain faith. May God be with you and yours whatever lies ahead.

Steve Osman