September is a time of New Beginnings…

It’s the beginning of September, and with the coming of September there are a lot of new beginnings that occur.  From first days of school to the start of NHL training camps, and the tell-tale shorter evenings and lower temperatures that remind us that fall and winter will soon be upon us, September is an exciting month!  Some we look forward to, others not so much!

The Bible is full of accounts of “new beginnings” as well.  It all starts with the creation of the world in Genesis 1.  Everything is new! God creates the heavens, the earth, and everything in it, and says at the end of each day that it is good.  Later, He fashions Adam and Eve and says it is not only good, but VERY good!  We are created in God’s image!

After some time, sin has entered the world, and what God had created was no longer so good.  Sin, corruption and all kinds of lawless behaviour occurred, so God decides it’s time to start again.  The Flood occurs, and Noah and his family is spared the destruction, and civilization starts again.

There are many more stories of new beginnings in the Bible.  The nation of Israel escaping Egypt under Moses’ leadership and (eventually) entering the Promised Land is another example.  In the New Testament, we read about the beginnings of the Church in the book of Acts.  We also learn about the new beginnings of a man named Saul, who gets his name changed to Paul, and becomes the greatest evangelist this world has ever seen! 

One of the greatest examples of new beginnings was, of course, the birth, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  The arrival of Jesus signifies a seismic shift in the spiritual world.  Jesus does away with animal sacrifices.  His blood He shed on the cross of Calvary for you and for me was now taking the place of animal sacrifices. His sacrifice was, “once and for all”!  In the hour Jesus died, the Temple Veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple (where only the chief priest could enter once a year) was torn completely in two from top to bottom. This signified that we can now have direct access to the throne room of God, rather than communicating to God through a temple priest.  Talk about new beginnings!!

The ultimate new beginning will be when believers in the Lord Jesus Christ pass away and we arrive in heaven.  Everything will be new!  Perfect.  No more pain or sorrow!  It’s hard to imagine.  But there is a caveat here.  Heaven is reserved for those who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and what He came to accomplish at the cross including dying for our sins, so we could be together with Him for eternity.  

So, as you contemplate all that is new this September, consider either deepening your relationship to the Lord, or perhaps considering Him for the very first time.  It is a relationship that is exciting like no other!  We’d love to help you on that journey.  Come and visit us anytime!