‘Tis the seventh night of Christmas, and the world is enamored with celebrating New Year’s Eve.

This is a night of endless promise as we look towards the magical tomorrow.

Tomorrow (fingers crossed) is a new start. Tomorrow (please, oh please, oh please) things will be better. Tomorrow (this year we really mean it) we will try harder.

Tomorrow we will be new people who eat better, stay organized, purge excess, read more, spend less.

We promise others. We plead with ourselves. We clench tight our fists and commit to sincere and lasting newness in this coming year.

It is our last best hope, this opportunity to start over, year after year after year after year after year.

OR

‘Tis the seventh night of Christmas, and the world is enamored with celebrating New Life through Christ.

This is a night of endless promise as we look towards a faithful and forgiven tomorrow.

Every tomorrow (assuredly) is a new day. Every tomorrow (by God’s good pleasure) things will still be in his control. Every tomorrow (by surrendering our will) we will be further sanctified.

Every tomorrow we can be new people who love others more, worry about ourselves less, follow Christ more closely, worship God more fully.

We hold to God’s promises. We die to our desires. We open wide our hands and commit to selfless and spirit-filled renewal in this new moment and day and year.

It is our only hope, this gift of being made new, day after day after day after day after day.