Was your New Year's Eve different from any other evening? Or did you simply go to bed at the usual hour and wake at your customary time in 1992?
Traditionally, New Year has been a time for resolutions, though we don't hear quite as much about that as previously. Last week's Sunday Mail carried this story,"Wayne Goss didn't do it and neither did Agro. They all tried hard they said, but very few of Queensland's personalities who made New Year's resolutions this year achieved them."
The Premier wanted to listen more and talk less and spend more time on the tennis court. "I enjoyed getting in the car and travelling around western Queensland listening to people. Unfortunately I played a lot less tennis during 1991,'' Mr Goss said.
Mr Goss said he wanted to keep Queensland's economy ahead of the other states and encourage more decentralised industry.
The State Opposition leader, Mr Borbidge, has issued a New Year challenge to knock the Goss Government from its leadership post and win the next election. "Last year's resolution was to spend more time with the family but that went out the window about three weeks ago. This year's is to win government,'' Mr Borbidge said.
Smartalec and televisionpersonality puppet Agro resolved this year "to be nicer to everyone except AnnMaree'', his longsuffering cartoon show cohost. "Next year I resolve to be a better person, more considerate and patient with the people I work with, particularly that skinny blonde with the personality of an empty telephone box,'' Agro said.
Restauranteur Michel Bonnet was beginning the New Year in France with his daughters. His wife, Trisha, was looking after the Petrie Terrace restaurant. This year Michel had wanted to buy a singleseater motorbike so women would stop chasing him and to serve fewer snails, more crocodile and play more country and western music to his diners. "He bought a oneseater Bimoto but then bought a twoseater HarleyDavidson so the girls still chase him,'' Trisha said. "He was nearly thrown out of his restaurant by his clients when he tried to play country and western music.'' Snails are too popular to take off the menu.
Hairdressing tycoon Steve "Stefan'' Ackerie's only wish for 1991 was to survive the year. "I've done that. Next year I want to offer more service, more training and make all the things we've been doing more,'' he said.
Entertainer and comedian Steve Haddan was one of Queensland's more successful celebrities in keeping his New Year's resolutions. The newlyappointed cohost of In Brisbane Today this year had wanted to complete a book on the history of Sydney Rugby League. The result was The Powers Bitter History of the New South Wales Rugby League Finals.
Swimmer Hayley Lewis promised herself at the start of 1991 she would complete her final high school year. Now with her senior certificate in her bathing cap she feels she can concentrate fully on her swimming career in 1992.
On New Year's Eve a couple of dozen of us met in the Maroochydore Church to celebrate the goodness of God in 1991 and to commit ourselves afresh to him for the coming year. The questions being asked were, "In what ways have we known the love and blessing of God in our lives individually and as the Body of Christ in the past year?" and "What is Jesus, the Lord of the Church, saying to us as we enter 1992? What is his specific will as we face this New Year?" We were not just thinking, what are some good resolutions for the Church for 1992? but, what does the Lord of the Church want of us in 1992? We cannot resolve anything less than his will, knowing that along with his will comes his promise to be with us always and to enable us by his Spirit to do his will. Together we welcomed the New Year with
The Greeks had two words for time. One is chronos. Used 54 times in the New Testament, it represents what we might call chronological time - years and days, hours and minutes. It is time as measured by calendars and clocks. But they had another word, kairos. We could call it the opportune moment. It is used some 83 times in the New Testament and is translated "opportunity" here in the Good News Bible. It is the time when God fulfils his promises and the time when his people can spread the Good News.
So often we have regarded time as the great enemy. Our life has been a battle against time to get our tasks done. Tempus fugit, the old Latin proverb put it - "time flies." And the more urgent the business, the faster the hands seem to turn (or numbers change!).
But here we are to look at time in a totally different way. Like life itself, time is a gift of God. It is the moment of opportunity, the possibility of getting things done. At the right time God sent his Son into the world. Many times his enemies tried to snare him, but they couldn't, because his time had not yet come. Then finally, throughout his trial and crucifixion, we see him acting differently, not evading arrest, because his time had come. But death could not hold him. His death was a redemption for sin, not a human victory for his enemies. And at God's right time, on the third day, he was raised to life again.
In view of all this, we can no longer regard time simply as chronos, of which we only have twenty-four hours in every day, which robs our joys and prevents our achievements. We still have - and need to have - chronos. But we need to grasp and live by kairos. A year has gone, another has arrived - chronos is passing. But, as Christians, we know that we also live in the moment of kairos, the opportune time. We live anno Domini - "in the year of the Lord."
So, how do we "make good use of every opportunity we get"? How are we to "redeem the time"?
In our reading, Paul says many very practical things. He says, "Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him." Because we belong to his family, we are to express his character in our lives. What will that mean?
Christ has loved us and given his life for us, so our life is to be "controlled by love". We need to ask ourselves, Is love the hallmark of all our thinking, speaking and acting. Is it love that controls us, motivates us? It is hardly the distinguishing characteristic of the age in which we live! Of course, people do seek love in intimacy and come out from time to time with bursts of altruism. But I am asking - is our life controlled by love? We will waste the opportunity if it isn't!
So, because you are God's people, be careful of your thinking, your motives and your actions. Notice how Paul, while speaking about immorality, indecency and greed, tells us not to use obscene, foolish or dirty words. God looks at our heart, our character. How we talk is a reflection of who we are. Not the only reflection, it is true, but beware - God doesn't take our talk lightly! Those who have experienced the love of God must also remember God's wrath on those who do not obey him.
Becoming a Christian has taken us out of darkness into God's light. So we must live as people who belong to the light. Yesterday I spied this quote in the main street of Buderim - "It is a waste of time to be and not to do." I don't appreciate all the quotes on that board, but this one seemed very pertinent - "It is a waste of life to be and not to do" - not just in avoiding those things that are part of this world's darkness, but of living forthrightly a life of goodness, righteousness and truth.
From time to time there are discussions in the Church on issues such as domestic violence. We are told, One in four married women is the victim of domestic violence and whether your husband is a church-goer or not doesn't make any difference! Is that sort of statement really right? It certainly shouldn't be - unless Church-goers want to be Christians but not live the Christian life!
So then, be careful how you live. Let the light of God shine in and shine out. And buy up the time, use it well, make good use of every opportunity you get. Find out what the Lord wants you to do and, filled with his Spirit, do it!
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