Somewhere there are Christians focusing on Jesus.

     It's New Year's Eve and the focus is on the past for the most part.  What did and did not happen in 2016?  What went wrong and what went right in 2016?  Some may even be carrying 2016 over into the new year.  The world's focus is on celebrating with self justified drinking, partying and even violence.  Where is the Christian in the midst of all of this?  Some of the Christians are going to be doing whatever the world does.  Some Christians are going to be sleeping in the new year.  Still other Christians will be bringing in the new year with prayer and reading of the Scripture.  The "dropping of the ball" is in reverse! We should be raising prayers to God who is the real light to the world.  Instead of a God focused celebration many will have a world focused celebration missing the chance to share Jesus with those who are lost.  I'm not saying we don't have much to be thankful for because we have everything to be thankful for.  God has been gracious and delayed the return of his Son so that all still have a chance to be saved.
     Frankly, I have enough stuff in front of me that lends me no time for the past.  Yes, the past exists.  I have no problem remembering the past.  We don't have to remember tomorrow.  Hence we have time to focus on today.  That's the real celebration.  We've been given a new day!  There is no promise for tomorrow.  Yet, we live our lives as if there are no end in sight of tomorrows.  In Matthew the Sermon on the Mount tells us to take no thought for tomorrow (Matthew 6:33).  We are instead to focus on today and doing the work before us.  We miss the point with the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebration that the world focuses on.  Satan has taken the holidays to keep the focus on self and selfish wants.  Jesus takes every day to focus on others and their needs.  The Eve and the Day will pass by no doubt about it.  But today is available now.  Where is the urgency the Christian is supposed to feel to share the Good News of Jesus?  Perhaps we need to understand as Solomon did that there is nothing new under the sun.  One day runs into another.  The difference is that the Christian has a purpose that ignites their lives to service to Jesus who gives us life!
     So, what happens after the New Year has begun?  Martin Luther was asked what he would do if he knew for a fact that Jesus was coming back tomorrow at a certain time.  He said, "I would plant another tree."  He would keep going on doing what he had been doing for God.  He would sow the seed in the life of whomever he came into contact with.  That's a good thing to be doing.  Paul had the same belief as did the early church.  Live the day for Jesus and fulfill his commandment to love one another.  Please don't make a resolution this year to keep your focus off Jesus.  Keep your focus on planting another tree.  It's always your choice.  Happy New Year!