A Day of New Beginnings . . .

“New Year’s Day”

 Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13;
Revelation 21:1-6a;

Matthew 25:31-46;
Psalm 8

 Hymn of the Day – “Another Year is Dawning”

Author: Frances Ridley Havergal

Based on: Psalm 90:12

“So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Another year is dawning,                                   Dear Master, let it be,                    

    In working or in waiting,                    

     Another year with Thee.  

    Another year of mercies,     
           Of faithfulness and grace;
           Another year of gladness
           In the shining of Thy face. 

    Another year of progress,
            Of witness for Thy love;

  Another year of proving                     

           Thy presence all the days.   

     Another year of service,
             Another year of praise,                    
    Another year of training
     For holier work above.
       

   Another year is dawning,

Dear Master, let it be,

In working or in waiting

Another year with Thee.

Meditation -“The Dawn of a New Year”

May I hope that you are reading this on New Year’s Day?  I would like so much to be among the first to wish you a “Happy and Prosperous New Year”.  It is my prayer for you that God will richly bless you this year, and grant you a sense of the peace that passes any understanding that we may hope to have! 

There is very little that is known about the origin or writing of this hymn. On top of that it is a very unfamiliar hymn to most of us, having disappeared from our hymnals almost entirely.  Where it is present, it is not sung.  I was absolutely entranced with the words, however, so I decided to spend some time with it.

In January of 1874, the many many friends of Frances Ridley Havergal, who wrote this hymn, received a New Year’s greeting with the heading “A Happy New Year! Ever Such May It Be!” Following this greeting appeared her text, still considered by many to be one of the finest New Year’s prayers of consecration ever written.  I would certainly have enjoyed being on her mailing list! 

It is easy for me to imagine that all those who received this greeting card from Miss Havergal that year read her words thoughtfully.  She had already been named “The Consecration Poet”.  It was said of her that she always lived her words before writing them.  How I would love to have that said of me someday, but how difficult it is to do sometimes!

What a lovely hymn this is!  Miss Havergal has covered so many of the things that might be ahead of each of us in the New Year.  How has today dawned for you?  Are you feeling well?  Ready to go to work for the Master?  The prayer of Frances Havergal begins with a petition to the Master to let it be in all things – working or waiting – another year with Him - - - a year of mercies, and of faithfulness and grace - - - a year of gladness, of progress, praise and the presence of Christ Himself in the midst of our daily lives!  A year of service and of witnessing to the love of the Master for all - - - a year of training for our “holier” work in God’s kingdom.  She, in fact, ends the hymn with a plea that the New Year will be
another year with Christ, whether on earth or else in heaven. 

What faith she shows in the words of this rather simple hymn!!!  Is her prayer “our” prayer?  Do we long for a year of ease and comfort or a year of service and witness to the love of the Master?  Do we plan to be in “training” for the holy work that must be done both now on earth, and later when we go to be with the Lord?  Are we willing to work and to wait for the Lord to speak to us? Do we appreciate His mercies that are new every morning (read the words to the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness where this truth is reiterated many times).  Will we be found faithful in the New Year?  We can rest in the confidence in the unfailing love, mercy and grace of God.  Will we do so?

A brand new clean slate - - - a New Year - - - what will we do with it? How will we live it?  What will we feel like at this time next year on the first day of the year 2012?  Will we feel differently?  How?  What do you think will be different?  These are very scary times in which we live. I pray that God will see fit to let me live, and let me live in the protecting shelter of His arm, but nothing is “sure”, is it?   

The one thing I am sure of is that God’s grace is sufficient for every need I may have - - - this year, next year and the years beyond that.  I can say with assurance the words of Miss Havergal’s hymn “… on earth or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.” 

Prayer - Dear Lord, we have awakened this morning to a New Year.  As we read the words of this hymn, we are reminded of the work that must be done in this coming year and of our place in the kingdom and in your church. Help us when we are faint of heart, Lord, and when our physical strength wavers.  We would work for Thee and be faithful servants.  We thank you for the love, unfailing mercy and glorious grace that attends our days.  We pray for the faith to bear fruit for Thee and to be faithful witnesses to that love, mercy and grace.  It is in the blessed name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we make our prayer . . . Amen ~

Activity -  Share friendship with another as Christ shares His friendship with you. In which capacity do you most fully experience Christ?  As savior? Teacher? Lord? Friend? In which of the five dimensions of Christian life are you strongest?  (1)Prayer and holiness; (2) Joy and rejoicing; (3) Obedience; (4) Service; and (5) Compassion.  In which areas do you need to grow?  Set some goals (dare I say “resolutions”?) around your growth needs and prepare to move boldly into the New Year, making it another year for the Lord and Master of us all.