A New Day: Day One

A New Day - March 19, 2020

Welcome to … A New Day! 

On this first day of Spring 2020, with the promise of New Beginnings, I thought it fitting to step into a new chapter of our journey together, a journey that began nearly eighteen months ago when I joined the staff of First Baptist Richardson. (To God alone be all the glory!) It is my hope that these daily posts will encourage you, and strengthen you in your walk with Christ. Each post, Monday through Friday, will come to you via email, and will contain scriptures, and references to ‘songs, hymns, and spiritual songs’ (Colossians 3:16). I trust and pray each post will bring ‘strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.’*

Each year at this time, the Earth’s axis tips, bringing the northern hemisphere closer to the Sun, and, with it come warmer temperatures and longer days. Last evening, during a walk/run through our neighborhood, I gave God glory for the beauty of  Jonquils, Tulips, and Irises poking up from the earth, and trees bursting forth with new, vibrant life. Having spent half of my childhood in beautiful but tropical Colombia, I happily celebrate all four seasons; however, the advent of Spring this year seems significantly more joyous than in years past. 

Take time to smell the roses!

In late April of 1979, at the end of my first year at Oklahoma Baptist University, I received a birthday card from (Colombia missionary) Uncle Jim Oliver. In his card to this Colombia MK, Uncle Jim, who had been my high school baseball coach, wrote: ‘Take time to smell the roses.’ As I pondered his admonition, one which, obviously, I have not forgotten, I started my quest to always take time to savor the scintillating scent of the rose. Over the years, I have discovered that ‘smelling roses’ means far more than literally smelling the natural beauties in God’s wonderful creation. It means basking in ‘all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.’**

At the present time, the news leaves us overwhelmed. In his press conference yesterday, the president called the coronavirus pandemic the ‘war of our time.’ Social distancing is, for most of us, a new term, but is now more ubiquitous than any new term of recent time. (At the end of this year, many of us could predict that ‘social distancing’ or ‘coronavirus’ will be labeled ‘notorious Word of the Year’ for 2020.)
All things new!

God’s word, on the other hand, brings Good News to all people! Today, I would remind us of the first step in God’s Glorious Gospel, which is REGENERATION. When a person, prompted by God’s Holy Spirit, opens his or her heart to the Gospel as revealed in John 3:16, the confessor’s heart becomes a regenerate (transformed, changed, made-new, born again) heart. Second Corinthians 5:17 states ‘So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!’ (NRSV) So, just as Springtime brings new life, God’s Glorious Gospel makes the sinners’ heart brand new, and, that, my friends, is Very Good News, and news that should be shouted from the rooftops! Glory to God in the highest! (Luke 2:14)

God’s word admonishes us with these words: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ (Hebrews 3:15). I pray this brief daily encounter called A New Day will encourage and challenge you to live each day for Jesus, who loves you, and gave you the greatest gift through God’s Glorious Gospel, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (‘Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before!’)***

God bless you, and, have a good day!

Yours and His,
Paul
Psalm 121

© Paul R. Magyar, 2020

*Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923. From Lamentations 3:22-23

**All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, 
He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountain, the river running by,
The sunset and the morning that brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter, the pleasant summer sun.
The ripe fruits in the garden: He made them every one.

He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty, who hath made all things well.



*** Robert C. Loveless, 1936

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