Hello everyone! A Very Happy New Year to you all, even if it doesn’t seem like a happy one right now. Brexit issues, Covid, lockdowns, work and financial worries, -for many humans, this is proving to be a very challenging time.
But even in the good times, the beginning of a New Year can seem very bittersweet. It’s a time when many humans pause to take stock of their lives and situations, and so often, there’s something missing. New Year parties and the good life offer a quick and temporary fix, but they only paper over an emptiness beneath. And this is beautifully captured in the opening lyrics of the Abba song, “Happy New Year.”
“No more champagne
And the fireworks are through
Here we are, me and you
Feeling lost and feeling blue.
It’s the end of the party
And the morning seems so grey….”
And then comes the familiar chorus, “Happy New Year,” and a rather desperate vision of a world in which “every neighbour is a friend.”
This song is a striking paradox with an outwardly catchy, happy chorus glossing over an empty void. And how true that is right now for so many humans around the world. There’s a gaping hole inside the jigsaw puzzle of so many lives. And so often, we make New Year’s resolutions in an attempt to fill that hole. Some folk believe that losing weight or taking out a gym membership is the instant solution; for others, it might be finding that special person to share their lives with; getting a new job, or aiming for a promotion or bigger salary. And some of these things will certainly help, but none of them will make a person’s life puzzle complete. Because ultimately, there’s only one special piece that will fit, and that’s the love and presence of Jesus Christ.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said: ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John: 8:12
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