January 1st - Reflection

Reading
The Name of Jesus
Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)
God takes on human form
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death--
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Reflection
New Years Day...we look back at the past year, maybe the past decade, and for a few the past century. We reflect on the good and bad of life, the good and the bad both as individuals and as groups of people.

We pause at the first of the year to look forward. To change our lives sometimes with new initiatives. We look forward in hope of better things to come. May we also always look side to side, above and below, within and without and see and realize the presence of the Savior Jesus. Jesus, who took on human flesh, and with intensity, looked forward to the mission he was sent to fulfill and did. Jesus, who looked forward and deep into our very beings and saved us from our sinful selves in order to unite us with him.

Let us look forward, likewise and follow the path and the footsteps of One whose name is above all names, and confess to heaven and earth, that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Prayer
Lord, in the midst of the football games, the parties, the food and all You have blessed us with, may we pause to proclaim the glory of Your name and Your action taken. In this new year lead us, in Your love, to act out that same love, towards those in need, that You would have us give our lives to. ---Amen