A God of New beginnings!

By Helen Jesze, 6^th January 2022

Recently, I remembered about a TV program that George and I had watched several years ago, on the last day of the year. It was entitled: Service for the turning of the year and was broadcast from a Methodist Church in Ireland. Behind the pulpit hung a plain, wooden cross, with the word Shalom painted on the wall next to it. This Hebrew word means “peace, wholeness, nothing missing”, and is used as a greeting in Israel. Here in this place it was not just a word, but a heartfelt prayer, for the city had seen much violence, and the nearby City Mission had been bombed thirty-four times!

We thought how fitting that the theme of the service was “God of New beginnings”. New beginnings for wartorn, suffering Ireland, for families and communities torn apart, confused loyalties – for this was the time of “The Troubles” when there was still religious and civil war; new beginnings for those viewing and for everyone.

The new year was about to begin and, like many other people, I was wishing that in some areas of my life I could wipe the slate clean and begin again, eradicating mistakes and sins with their consequences, start afresh. The giants of Regret and Despair were holding me fast. It was rather like Christian, in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, travelling from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. He and his companion, Hopeful, had gone from the main path, climbed over the stile and strayed unknowingly onto the grounds of Giant Despair.

He had imprisoned them in Doubting Castle. They lay day after day, beaten, starved and full of fear, for the giant threatened to kill and eat them. There seemed no way out, but suddenly Christian cried out: “O how stupid I have been! I have the key of Promise here! It will unlock the dungeon door!” He struggled to his feet and tried the key. It turned easily! The two friends crept through the castle and were going across the courtyard, when Giant Despair caught sight of them and ran to catch them. But suddenly, one of his fits came upon him and he fell down, paralysed. The key of God’s promises had opened the door and overcome despair, suffering and death! They quickly found their way onto the King’s Highway again, and set up a notice to warn others not to go on that road.

After I watched that program, I saw that regrets and worry were holding me in Doubting Castle. It was time to take the key of Promise and come out of my dungeon. Outwardly, nothing had changed. The difficult, imprisoning circumstances were still there, but with God’s help, I started throwing off the negative ballast of the Past and embracing his plan for my Future.

Again I remembered that with God there is always a new beginning, always sunrise after sunset, forgiveness after sin, hope instead of despair. We work together with God to cause these things to come to pass in our lives. We might move to a new area or job, take a new marriage-partner, seek to burn our bridges. Yet if there are unresolved issues, attitudes which have not been put right, the new beginnings become sour and we drink the cup of disappointment.

I realised that my willingness and submission to God’s plan would allow the Holy Spirit to move in my heart. Instead of being at cross purposes, I could begin again to walk and co-operate with him, and he would do what I could not do! My boat had been too long in the harbour! It was time to pull up the anchor and set my sails to the wind of the Spirit. There was new direction, new vision, new service – for my God was and is a God of new beginnings!

This is my first Devotional in 2023 and I wonder if any of you, my friends and readers, are caught in Doubting Castle, or are in danger of being captured by Giant Despair. As you look back at 2022 and forward to 2023, do you have many regrets and are people or Satan trying to say you are a failure? I believe if we were honest, each of us could say there are areas or occasions where we might have regrets, me too. But let’s remember that God’s Word is full of promises and just as Christian turned the key of the dungeon, bringing deliverance to himself and Hopeful, so we can take that very same key and see new beginnings spring forth.

Our Bible verse today from the Amplified Bible tells us to forget the “former (the past) things”, which would drag us back and let us look to the “new thing” which God is preparing and bringing forth in us. Has your boat been too long in the harbour like mine had been? If so, pull up the anchor and set your sail to the wind of the Holy Spirit! New direction, new vision and new service will be yours – for your God too, is a God of new beginnings!!