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January

There's a popular hymn that includes the words, "I don't know about the future…" A lot of folks are trying to figure it out. "What will this year hold?" The Wall Street speculators certainly want to know. Will "the market" improve? People who are unemployed want to know what the job possibilities are going to be. The Aztec Calendar says that the universe is going to end this year. Did they know what Harold Camping didn't?

Some years back, a young woman serving in my Army Reserve unit came to me. She was worried about a friend of hers. This friend, working a minimum wage job, was driving long distances every weekend and giving a healthy chunk of her hard earned money to a fortune teller. She wanted to know about the future. She wanted to know about it so that she could manipulate her circumstances to achieve a favorable outcome.

Faith and fortune telling are mutually exclusive. Crystal ball gazing side steps the need for God. Tarot cards and Astrology do the same. Some folks would rather check their horoscope than read their Bible.

When the three wise men sought the Christ Child, they had no guarantees of how their journey would go. They didn't have any idea what challenges they would face, but they were clear about their purpose: They wanted to find Jesus. They found Him. He wasn't where they thought He'd be; but, they found the house, they worshipped Him and offered their gifts. Then, they returned to their own country by a different way.

January 6th is known as "Epiphany." On Epiphany Sunday, the 8th of January, we will celebrate the journey of the wise men to the house in Bethlehem where they found the Savior. We need to follow their example as we journey through this new year. We do not need a crystal ball. We don't need to pay attention to our horoscope or the tea leaves. We need to do as those three travelers did: we need to go to Christ.

That hymn I mentioned earlier begins with the declaration, "I don't know about tomorrow…" but it ends with the words "but I know who holds my hand." Seek Christ, worship Him, offer your gifts to His service and leave your future in God's hands. You won't need a fortune teller to face the year, trusting the Savior is a far better option. Happy New Year! God bless you in the days to come.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor David will be taking some more of his sabbatical time to return to “Back Bay Mission” in Biloxi, Mississippi from January 15-28where he will again be working on homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina.  During his absence pastor Susan will be providing coverage.