A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 2 NO. 46                                          January 1, 2006

FAREWELL AND HELLO!

STEVE NIEMEIER

Well, here we are at the start of another year!  We will never have the year 2005 again and as we close out this year we will bid farewell to it forever!  Paul states in Ephesians 6:15-16; “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”  Redeeming carries the thought process of “buying back” but we all know that you cannot buy back time even though each one us would probably like to.  So what is Paul referring to if we cannot buy back time?  Paul is stating that we should value the time and understand that if we spend our time foolishly then the days will be evil.  However, if we spend our time wisely we will have valued or redeemed the time.

Solomon states in the 3rd chapter of Ecclesiastes that there is a time for every purpose under heaven.  The first eight verses of this chapter basically cover the fact that there is a time for everything we will face in our lives from birth to death.  As you read through these eight verses you cannot help but think about the events of this past year.  There have been births and deaths, planting and harvest, killings and healings, break downs and building ups, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing, casting stones and gathering stones, refraining from embracing and embracing, gaining and losing, keeping and throwing away, tearing and sewing, keeping silence and speaking, loving and hating, war and peace.  How did we redeem the time of the year that just came to a close?

Computation of time in the Bible is by, moments (Exodus 33:5); days (Genesis 8:3); weeks (Daniel 10:2); months (I Chronicles 27:1); and years (Genesis 15:13).  We can even find it designated by generations (Genesis 9:12).  The statement of Paul in Ephesians 5:16 and even the exhortation by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 then have a meaning beyond what we normally comprehend.  We should value our time regardless of what season it is.

James 2:20 states; “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”  James 2:26 states; “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  The year 2005 has closed forever, what works did we do this past year for the Lord?  Oh I know we have attended services whenever we could.  That is good and maybe for some it is all they can do.  But really, most of us can talk on the phone, write a card or letter, have folks in our homes, some of us can spend a little time maintaining the building, most of can visit the elderly, care for sick, encourage the spiritually weak, teach a class, have the gospel meeting preacher over for a meal or take him out to eat, give a little more each week in the contribution, invite our friends and family to services or to a home Bible study, come better prepared for the public Bible classes, and the list just keeps on going of the small things we can do to redeem the time the Lord has given us.

As we reflect on this past year and look forward to the New Year let us all revive our enthusiasm and strengthen our endurance to redeem the time of 2006 in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord as we bid goodbye to 2005 forever!

“For He says:  'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.'  Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (II Corinthians 6:2)

We pray this New Year brings us new energy to do the Lord's work and a commitment to improve our personal spiritual growth.  Farewell to the old and Hello to the new!