That Last Sunday of 2018

It's the end of the year; it's the beginning of the year. We're coming off Christmas week and starting a new year. Is there a connection?

I see Christmas as really, really huge. Oh, no, not the trappings, the holiday, the trees and decorations and lights and gifts. Not the traditions and commercialism. No, the actual event -- the Incarnation. God became flesh and dwelt among us. I see it as a sort of nuclear option of grace. The Son gave up "godness" to be human. We're all born into a cradle that swings over a grave, so to speak, but none of us are born for the purpose of dying. He was. This God-Man, this Savior in the manger, would save His people. All of us. He would arrive in the utmost of humility taking on the lowly human form so that He could accomplish all He intended, starting with our salvation.

So, there is that starting point, where He became flesh, laying there in an animal feeding trough surrounded by animals and lowly shepherds. His message was "Peace on earth." Not just any peace. Not "world peace" or anything so trivial. No. Peace with God. It was the beginning, so to speak, of His "Mission Accomplished." And because of that, we know that He fulfills the prophecies, accomplishes His plans, completes what He starts.

And there it is, you see? That's the connection. You and I are headed into 2019, a new year, an unknown. Is Trump going to blow up the world? Is the Left going to foist new nonsense on us? Is Congress going to fail? Is the judiciary going to mess up more stuff? Is the economy going to slide? Is the border going to open or close? Will your unsaved loved ones come to know Christ? Lots and lots of unknowns. So let me, today -- this last Sunday of 2018 -- assure you; whatever He plans He will accomplish. Whatever is best He will do. Whatever He wants to happen will happen. He will continue to work all things together for good to those who love Him. He will not fail. We can know that because He says so. We can also know that because we just celebrated the penultimate proof -- His birth.

A new year. Yes. Pleasant or unpleasant, I can guarantee you it will be good. The trick, I suppose, will be in getting yourself to agree with Him on that.