Daily Devotional

January 1st is a unique day. There are eleven other “firsts” in the year that all signify a new month, but only January 1st does double duty of also signifying a New Year. This wasn’t always the job of January, in fact, January didn’t always exist. Before 154 BC there were only 10 months in the calendar and the New Year began in March.

The calendar has been altered and adjusted quite a bit over the years and even still it’s not quite perfect; every four years we have to add in an extra day (like this year) giving us 366 days in a year instead of 365. Though a “leap day” still seems a bit strange to me, it is at least better than it used to be, there was a time when they had to add in a leap month every few years!

We put a lot of emphasis on the change from December 31st to January 1st, but really, it’s a date we created. I think the New Year is a great opportunity to make some adjustments in our lives, but it shouldn’t be the only day of the year that we do so. A lot of people make New Year’s Resolutions with the goal of making some positive changes, and I think that’s great, I just don’t think that’s the only day we should do so. For those of us who have been made new in Christ Jesus, we should be seeking to be more and more like Him every single day.

The truth is, making positive changes is more than recognizing the need for change, or even resolving to make a change, it’s about actually doing something about it. Discipleship to Jesus is so much more than a one-time thing; it’s a daily thing. Jesus calls us to DAILY pick up our cross and follow Him.

As we start this New Year, let’s start by following Jesus today, and then continue by following Him tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and so on. We even get a bonus day this year to follow Jesus! Through the gift of Jesus Christ, we have been made new and we can walk in that newness every single day.

"English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers."