What’s new in the New Year?
By Paul Bawden
This year the U.S. will celebrate its 250th Independence Anniversary (America 250), which will include much planning and hopefully prompt national reflection.
The FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with the U.S hosting most of the matches.
The largest wave of Baby boomer retirements will be underway, creating significant labor shifts. AI, automation, and robotics will become deeply embedded in industries, influencing productivity and jobs. Gen Z and Millennials will command a larger share of consumer spending, shaping markets.
Many sectors view 2026 as a critical year for strategic planning toward the 2030 sustainability goals, driven by tech advancements and demographic realities.
Added to this is the restoring of Venezuela to a stable democratic government so the people can prosper as they enjoy their new-found freedom.
Of course, some things will not be new like the solving of ongoing Ukraine/Russia conflict, the unrest in the Middle East, the need for the U.S. government to pass significant legislation that will help the people, along with the mid-term elections.
These are all happenings that, as they take place, will be part of the physical/material world. There’s another dimension that needs to be consider. It’s the dimension of the eternal. Why bring that up? I bring it up because without the eternal being part of our lives, we are here today and gone tomorrow, and whatever we do is only humanitarian – a time accomplishment.
The interesting aspect of the eternal is that it never grows old and never wears out. That’s why when Christ came on the scene He started talking about eternal life (John 3:16) – He called it life in abundance, meaning life in surplus (John 10:10). Some accepted what Christ was saying, embraced Him along with His teachings, and followed Him. Others rejected Him and His teachings, missing completely experiencing His eternal life.
So how about you and me? We don’t possess eternal life. And no matter how good we try to be, or what church we belong to or don’t belong to, we will never possess Jesus’ eternal life. Why? We have disobeyed God, our Creator, and we need His eternal life along with His forgiveness. Christ provided this for us through His death, bural, and bodily resurrection. It’s up to you and me to acknowledge we need His eternal life, then reach out to Him in faith and accept His gift of eternal life He is offering us.
Once we make that decision for Christ, He gives us His eternal life – actually, He lives in us spiritually (Col. 1:27). Now living in time, we are members of His eternal kingdom. We have the privilege to have a daily relationship with Him so in our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions, we can glorify Him, letting His life flow out through us, furthering His kingdom here as we live for eternity in time.
The wonderful thing about Christ’s eternal life is that even as the believer grows older, his inner spirit is renewed day by day. Even in the challenges of life, He is there encouraging the believer on. The believer’s destiny after this life is heaven to be with Christ forever. What’s new in the New Year? Eternal life that is new every day of the New Year in Jesus Christ. I trust you know Him personally and are enjoying His newness in your life each day as you live for Him. Happy New Year!!
Paul Bawden is married and served in the full-time pastoral ministry for 45 years, retiring in 2011, after which he and his wife served in four interims, three in Wisconsin and one in Iowa. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.A. in Speech and attended Dallas Theological Seminary, receiving a Master of Theology. He has taken counseling courses at Trinity Evangelical Seminary in Deerfield, Illinois. Paul is a lifetime member of the Evangelical Free Church of America, as well as being a member of Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM), which serves churches during their time of transition in searching for a new pastor. He is also a volunteer writer for GotQuestions.org. Paul likes to write, read, and work in the yard. The Bawdens have had the privilege to travel to Mexico and Romania on mission trips and visited various countries in Europe. They have three daughters and five grandchildren.
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