JANUARY 2025

Of all the holidays on the calendar, New Years perplexes me the most. I say the same thing every year, “I can’t believe it’s already New Years. It seems like last year just began.” Time flies whether we are having fun or not.
Young people do not always ponder deeply the passage of time. Sure, they count down the days till Christmas or their birthdays or the end of school, but they do not always seem to understand that every day lived is one day closer to death. This statement may sound morbid or negative, but I do not mean it to sound that way. I mean it to sound like truth, because it is true. The Bible has much to say about the brevity of life and the certainty of death. Job said, “Our days on earth are but a shadow” (Job 8:9). Psalms is full of lyrics that remind the reader of the transience of life. Psalm 39:4-5 says, “4 Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.” Psalm 90:10 says, “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” Psalm 103:15-16 says, “15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” And of course, James famously says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).
Again, I am not trying to be negative, morbid, or cynical. I am trying to take an honest look at what God’s Word has to say about our life span, coupled with honest observations as I see old friends on social media. Wow, some of them have not aged well! (I wonder how many say that about me?)
The reality of the passage of time causes me to draw two primary conclusions as we enter 2025. One, I do not want to waste a single day of my life living in disobedience to God or in lack of awareness of God. Sadly, there are times when I am guilty of both of these failures, but I do not want that to be the case. God is so much better and greater than sin and temporary realities in this realm. Likewise, I truly find my greatest satisfaction in life when I am worshipping God and contemplating His bigness and beauty as I study His Word. As 2025 begins, please make a concerted effort to live in obedience to God and in awareness of God. For some reading this article, 2025 will be the last year in this realm of existence. Please don’t waste it.
Two, I want to maximally leverage my life for God’s glory and the growth of His kingdom. The reality for many of us is that we have more scenes in our rearview mirror than we have in front of our windshield. God is worthy of our time, talents, and treasures. I want to passionately serve God faithfully throughout 2025 because anything otherwise would be settling for less than the best. We are truly filled with a peace that passes all understanding when we honestly and passionately seek our greatest pleasure in Him. Simply put, God is worthy of our lives. May we remember throughout 2025 that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied with Him.
As we begin a new year, may Paul’s Words guide our thoughts, words, and deeds: “15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:15-21).
I love you. I am truly blessed to be your pastor. I look forward to serving and worshipping the Lord with you in 2025.

-Pastor Clint Miller