In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. –John 1:1-5 (NIV)

As we approach the Gregorian New Year, complete with its many expressions— parties, fireworks, champagne, midnight kisses, black-eyed peas, the Times Square Ball Drop, and many more…it calls to mind some of the other celebrations for a “New Year.” Perhaps the most familiar celebration of a “new year” is the birthday, but there is also the school year or celebrations in other religious traditions.

Our Christian tradition hasn’t done much with the start of a New Year unless it is the start of a new liturgical year at the beginning of Advent. But Judaism does. In their New Year celebration, they celebrate the Creation and, specifically, the creation of Man. Consequently, the Scripture Readings they use are the Genesis Stories of God’s creation of the world, which leads into a sort of celebration of thanksgiving.

Somehow, all of this seems appropriate to me.

It seems appropriate to remember God’s creation as we begin another trip around the sun. So, maybe it would be appropriate to write a devotion using the Genesis story on this New Year's Day.

However, as Christians, we have an additional text to consider… John 1. Here, we are reminded that it was not just God who created; God created by speaking a Word. In Christ, we know that the Word was not just a series of spoken or written symbols that signify specific ideas or actions but that the Word was a part of…one with…God. In other words, Jesus was not just present when God created the world but was an actor… an active participant in the creation of our World… of you and me!

So, yes, it does seem appropriate on this New Year’s Day that we take time to remember not just Jesus as our Savior but also His role in our creation. Jesus’ love for us is not that of a disinterested third party who happens to think we’re cute or a child who wants to please his parent, but of one who not only knew us from the beginning but had a part in our formation He’s invested in our well-being…not just a little bit… but completely! So much so that He died for us that we might know the joy of a full relationship with Him, with the Father, and with the indwelling of the Spirit sent to nurture and lead us until we recognize the fullness of God’s creation.

Let that thought start your 2025 and see what a difference it will make in the New Year.

Prayer

Oh God, we cannot comprehend the depth of your love for us, yet you have shown it to us in all of creation. In this New Year, let it be filled with an ever increasing love for you and knowledge of you. Amen.

By Rev. Dr. Steve Van Ostran

Executive Minister

American Baptist Churches of the Rocky Mountains