This is my final column for the year. It’s the last edition of the paper for the year. We’ve almost made it again.
Why do we celebrate such milestones? We have parties for New Years, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements and many other events. Why? What is the point?
The fact is that life is made up of daily steps that take us to the next steps that take us to the next steps. The only way to live is to take each step, knowing that another is coming. You go forward by putting one foot in front of the other.
In the Bible, and especially in the New Testament, Christian living is often compared to walking. "We walk by faith." "Let us walk properly …" "We ought to walk in such a manner …"
Each of these phrases comes from the writings of Paul, and they express that living is a matter of walking, making daily progress and moving forward in the way God has called us.
We take walking for granted, do we not? But a year ago at this time I was recovering from knee replacement surgery. It took several months and much therapy before I could walk in the right way without thinking about it.
Twelve months after the fact my walking is better than it was prior to surgery. But I no longer take it for granted.
John wrote, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."
To walk in the light is to choose to live in a way that avoids darkness (a metaphor for sinful living). When we live in that way it makes an impact in our relationships with others, and shows that God has truly forgiven us.
We have those times when we wonder how we are going to make it another day, another hour, even a minute. Making it through 2018 seems more daunting than we can consider. But the way to make it this coming year is really simple: One step at a time.
I pray that during this coming year you will walk daily with the Lord. Start each day by praying a reading a portion of the Bible. And then watch for those moments when you can help others.
God has called us to live in harmony with him and others. Love the Lord. Love your neighbor. Those are probably the best resolutions any of us can make for 2018.