2017 - A New Year

Many of my friends are calling 2016 "The worst year ever!" Maybe a bit of an overstatement. Most of them are saying this as yet another popular person died. Wham! lead singer George Michael, Star Wars hero Carrie Fisher, not to forget Alan Rickman or Prince and our little buddy Bob Denver. So, many!

Yet, others, more humble, have died this year as well. They will die with no fanfare from the media. No "shoutout" from fawning fans on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. They will die peacefully, maybe with their family around them. Hopefully the prayers of the church whispered in their ear. The end of 2016 will be a hard one for many families. And to start 2017 without their gracious presence will be difficult as well.

What will the new year bring? There are several things I can promise you will be in the next year: all the things that were in 2016. I do not say this to be pessimistic. Because there were many things that were wonderful in 2016 for a good many of us. Laughter. I laughed a lot in 2016 and hope to do so in 2017. Babies. There will be babies born in 2017 just like in 2016. New friendships, good food, etc. All of this will come to us in the New Year as well.

As Christians, and especially Lutheran Christians, we take pride in the fact that our faith is stronger than our fears. That our trust in God is such that the constant struggle of this life is always placed at the foot of the manger. We know that our God, through the gift of his Son, has chosen love over hate. That our God, has chosen life over death. 

As we look forward to a new year we should not be surprised at what the world will throw at us, the good and the bad. What we should anticipate is the little miracles that will come. The smile from a stranger, the hug of a child, the sun warming your face, and so many common events that we should never take for granted.

My prayer for all of you is that God will help you in opening your eyes to the miracle of the ordinary so that you may discover the strength and the power to stand up to protect the ordinarily vulnerable in our midst. May God's peace, which passes all understanding, be in your hearts and minds now and always.

The cattle are lowing

The poor baby wakes

But little Lord Jesus

No Crying he makes.

I love thee Lord Jesus

Look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle

'Til morning is nigh.