And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here (Romans 13:9—12b).

Welcome to a fresh start! With this new day, we also have the excitement of the beginning of the New Year. All sorts of things happen with the beginning of the New Year — resolutions, commitments, diets, projects, goals, and good intentions.

For some of us, however, it is more than just the New Year. Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 65, and now I am officially old — I am on Medicare. I'm supposed to start thinking about retirement and taking it easy. Funny thing, though, I don't feel any older than yesterday. I still want to live with urgency to get done the things God has called me to do. I don't want to coast my way into that mythical "sweet and gentle future." I want my days to count and my life to make a difference, now more than ever.

Why? Why feel this kind of urgency? Why not worry about retirement? Why not focus on enjoying my "golden years"?

I know that my aging years will not necessarily be golden. They certainly will not be a time of coasting my way into a "sweet and gentle future." Aging isn't for sissies. However, God did not wire me to let down, coast, or quit. I believe the Lord has a plan and purpose for my life as I age, just as he did when he conceived me in the womb of my mother and when I gave my life to him by confessing Jesus and being baptized).

I am confident about my long term future as I eagerly await the return of Jesus. If I go to be with him soon, that is only a quicker celebration of grace's victory over sin, death, and hell for me. My faith in Jesus means that I have put the ending of my short time on our small blue planet into his hands. I intend to live my life for his glory, no matter whether my remaining years are many or few. My important life question is the same as the one you face, today: "What am I going to do with each day that the LORD gives me?"

What am I going to do with each day that the LORD gives me?
The apostle Paul reminded us that "our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here"! Our celebration of the New Year only makes Paul's point more emphatically. So in light of this impending salvation, let's heed the old apostle's advice. Let's live passionately for Jesus until he brings us home to him in glory. Let's commit to making each day count until "the day" dawns and our faith becomes sight! After all, it's not just the beginning of the New Year. "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here!" We're not just getting older, we're moving closer to "the day" dawns and we share with Jesus in his glory.