Time-shift
New Year is a strangely arbitrary festival. It is merely the end of one year and the beginning of another.
Already the fireworks are being set off as if the locals here were going by New Zealand time.
Sometimes the significance of this shift in time is underlined by something that happens at one time but has its effect later: Yesterday I shared a sermon on rebellion in the Christian community from Luke 15 - and then this morning a letter arrived in the post complaining about problems in the fellowship. Had the poster waited they might have wanted to reconsider their words. It is sadly disappointing to address an issue one day only to find it resurfacing the next.
I have this problem with the Send button for emails. It is too easy to reply without real forethought. Perhaps at New Year we should take a deep breath. Save the noisy fireworks for a real celebration rather than sounding off at some smouldering resentment.
I am glad that God holds the key to the unknown in 2008 - but I wish we could avoid trying to turn a key of our own.
God bless your New Year!