Rosemary gave me permission to share these paragraphs with you…

By now, most of us have failed our resolutions…the year is not over yet!

At this time of our beginning Australian summer, most of our early mornings are mild, bright, and as yet relievingly flyless. Our many lakes, dams, pools, and ocean inlet waters are glass-still, attractively revealing mirror-like reflections of the sky and whatever surrounds them. I love to be in these tranquil places or even by my small garden-pond in this mild month of December; they so invitingly lend themselves to the needful reflections I desire to engage in: reflections of the past year as it nears its end.

Though I don’t want to dwell too long on the negatives done with, there are some unfinished things of the old year I want to deal with and get out of my way for the year ahead: accumulated cluttering piles of nuisances to myself, resulting from procrastinations. Also, I keenly desire to unload any emotional, potentially hindering baggage before the Lord, my steadfast love, and greatest ally. I want to be sure that I’m not harbouring any lingering resentments or unforgiveness, with unhelpful memories. I desperately want to pry off my heart and soul any of those sucking, rehearsing hurts over malicious provocations, mischievous, competitive irritations, and sin habits that can so easily, stubbornly, and happily cling like barnacles to a boat. I want to rid myself of every besetting hindrance to my future: particularly my stepping forward into Jesus’ plans.

In preparation for the year ahead, I definitely want to take note of the positive happenings, too; to assess the valuable things accomplished and learned; maybe to do even better next year those things that I did well: how I changed and grew in grace, truth, belief, and love; how I excused, rejoiced, moved forward, was blessed, bore healthy fruit, and was a blessing to others by Jesus’ perfect grace and guidance.

Beloved, naturally, no matter where we live in the world, whatever the weather conditions, we can repent and settle the old year happenings peaceably in our hearts and minds, before our loving gracious Lord; we can come into agreement with Him, and choose willingly to be made ready by Him to enter the approaching New Year. “Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed?” (Amos 3:3 AMP)

May we truly know that our lovely, gracious Lord is committed to rectification. He can turn every failure into fulfillment, every defeat into victory, and each inability right into His power, so let us “press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.” (Philippians 3:14 AMP)

What a godly, fruitful, revelation-filled, “Happy New Year” we can have as we cling freely and tightly to our Lord Christ! For He is to His beloved ones, and within His beloved ones as “Jesus, Mighty God”, “All Wisdom”, “The Word of Life”, “The Great I AM”, “The Prince of Peace”, “Lord Saviour”, “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah”, “Lord of lords”, “The Lamb of God”, “The Righteous Judge”, “The Resurrection and Ascension Life”, “The Chief Shepherd”, “Wonderful Counsellor”, “The King of kings”, “The Beginning and the End”, “Eternal God”, and so very much more.

And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 TLB)

Rosemary Renninson
Westbury, Victoria, Australia