New for old

  Out with the old; in with the new!  That’s the cry we hear at this time of New Year.

  Quickly, the year changes. 2007 is past and what matters is 2008 and all that is new.

  Change is all around us.  Shortly, the spring fashions will be in the shops with new colours and new designs -  so, out with the old; in with the new!

  There is an obvious excitement about things that are new.  They are novel, exciting, unfamiliar and they hold the hope that they will be much better than the things of the past.

  Humanity is extremely good at finding new ways of doing things.

  Our lives are incredibly enriched because of the inventions and innovations that have been made over the years - especially in recent times.  The computer on which I am writing this article can do things that, 30 years ago, would not have been possible even in an industrial environment.  Many of us would not be alive today if there had not been innovations in medical science.  So we need to be thankful to God for change and innovation.

  But this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t give thanks for the past.  The innovations of today are built on the work and the inspiration of the past.

  When Jesus first preached in his home town, Nazareth, he read words from the ancient prophet Isaiah - 'The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind'. (Luke 4: 18-9)

  Jesus came to fulfil the promises of the past.  He built his ministry upon these past promises so that we might live victoriously in the present and the future.

  In 2008, we will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the opening of our church building here in Marshalswick.  We will be reminded that this familiar place, in which we worship and serve, was once new.  It was once an innovation, but an innovation built upon the histories of those who had worshipped at Tabernacle, Dagnall Street and other places, who came together to do something new.

  In 2008, God will call us to do new things in new ways as we begin to put our 'Foundation Stones for the next 40 years' into action and as we seek to be the people of faith he wants us to be.  These will not be innovations for the sake of innovation.  They will be the rock upon which God will build up his kingdom within each one of us and his church for now and for the future.

  'Today will soon be yesterday and tomorrow will be today’.  Happy New Year!

by Graham Clarke.