As everyone keeps telling us, we start 2009 with lots of cares and worries - everything from the financial situation to the continuing world-wide troubles, and more locally, difficult diagnoses to family turmoil.

Most of this stuff is beyond our control, and worrying about it does not make it any better. But the local things – the personal matters – the family relationships – these are things we can care a great deal about.

In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray for their “daily bread”, and the avoidance of “temptation”, and falling into “evil”. It is very well known that our daily choices have health and well-being benefits – so let’s choose wisely.

We may then be in a position to enjoy the new opportunities that are coming. New leaders, new jobs, new circumstances, new relationships, and new challenges – these, and many other “new things” are coming. God, give us the courage to move on from “the past”, and the wisdom to enjoy these new things. If we manage to do this, 2009 may be the most fulfilling year so far.

 

David Ainge