“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…and I’m feeling fine”
This song always makes me think of the New Year. (And yes I’m sining it in my best Michael Bublé voice) It is a time to make goals, contemplate the past and plan for the future, right? A new dawn, clean slate, and it feels great, until we mess it up. It’s good to look back, assess, make changes and have goals. However I am thankful the God gives us His mercies new every day, because He knows I need it more often than once a year!
We’ve been reading a book called Multiply by Francis Chan. The last chapter we went through talked about the Old Testament sacrifices. There were many sacrifices for daily, weekly and monthly cleansing. Then there was a yearly cleanse The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. The High Priest had to cleanse and prepare to go into the Holy of Holies to enter the presence of God. One day a year he would stand before God on behalf of the nation and place the sacrifice before God to atone for the sins of the nation. When he came out they would release the other goat (the scapegoat) as a symbol that their sins were forgiven and forgotten. How great that day must have felt. To be free, to be forgiven…but how many days did that feeling last? Well if they were anything like me it wouldn’t have lasted long. That was the problem with the sacrificial system, it was never enough. Good thing that’s not the end of the story.
That is the Old Testament, and it’s beautiful picture. It whispers what Jesus came to do for us. That when He gave His life, as a sacrifice for us, the curtain separating us from the Holy of Holies was torn in two. By the blood of Jesus we are granted the entrance to the Holy of Holies and we are FORGIVEN. We are able to be cleansed not once a year but every day, every moment. His mercies are new EVERY morning. We get to walk in freedom every day!
It’s January 20…I know that some of you may be keeping up with your resolutions to you I shout: Good Job, Keep Going! If you have already let go of your resolution, I say thank goodness for grace and it’s okay to try try again! Remember we have new mercies every morning…it’s not about how many times we fall, but about getting back up! Get up, try again and be reminded there is mercy and grace no matter how many times we fall.
We’ve been reading a book called Multiply by Francis Chan. The last chapter we went through talked about the Old Testament sacrifices. There were many sacrifices for daily, weekly and monthly cleansing. Then there was a yearly cleanse The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. The High Priest had to cleanse and prepare to go into the Holy of Holies to enter the presence of God. One day a year he would stand before God on behalf of the nation and place the sacrifice before God to atone for the sins of the nation. When he came out they would release the other goat (the scapegoat) as a symbol that their sins were forgiven and forgotten. How great that day must have felt. To be free, to be forgiven…but how many days did that feeling last? Well if they were anything like me it wouldn’t have lasted long. That was the problem with the sacrificial system, it was never enough. Good thing that’s not the end of the story.
That is the Old Testament, and it’s beautiful picture. It whispers what Jesus came to do for us. That when He gave His life, as a sacrifice for us, the curtain separating us from the Holy of Holies was torn in two. By the blood of Jesus we are granted the entrance to the Holy of Holies and we are FORGIVEN. We are able to be cleansed not once a year but every day, every moment. His mercies are new EVERY morning. We get to walk in freedom every day!
It’s January 20…I know that some of you may be keeping up with your resolutions to you I shout: Good Job, Keep Going! If you have already let go of your resolution, I say thank goodness for grace and it’s okay to try try again! Remember we have new mercies every morning…it’s not about how many times we fall, but about getting back up! Get up, try again and be reminded there is mercy and grace no matter how many times we fall.
Daniel and Tonita,
We are praying for you as you move forward with your training. God bless you!
Love in Christ,
Craig and Micki Migasi
Thank you so much! We are so thankful for all the prayers. We know that it’s part of how God is working on our behalf and it keeps us moving forward.