A Trip Around the Sun

Romans 15:5 NLT

5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

Numbers 14:8 NLT

8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey.

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Monday night, at midnight, we celebrate the beginning of a New Year.

The earth will have made it back to the same spot in its orbit as that moment the previous year.

It’s called making a trip around the sun.

I thought it would be interesting to see what’s involved in that trip:

The earth spins at approximately 1,000 mph.

It’s moving through space in its orbit at about 67,000 mph.

It’s a trip of about 600 million miles.

If that’s not making you dizzy, the sun is also moving through space as well.

It’s dragging all the Solar System along at about 500,000 mph.

Earth, the planets, everything in our Solar System is traveling about 7 billion kilometers during a year’s time.

So, if you feel a little tired, it could be that you’ve been on a really, really long trip during this past trip around the sun.

And while you and I have been on this trip, we been busy, too.

We’ve personally walked hundreds or even thousands of miles.

We’ve spoken hundreds of thousands of words,

Made countless decisions, taken even more actions.

As I was pondering our topic this week, I ran across a sobering question:

If you could spin everything back to Jan. 1, 2018 and start the year over, knowing what you know now, what would you change?

What different decisions, actions, words would you choose?

While this is an interesting mental exercise, we know it’s impossible. What’s gone is gone.

However, the really good news this morning is that the next trip around the sun can be different.

The real question for us ought to be:

What will make this trip different?

This is about our outlook, our mindset.

This isn’t psych 101, it’s biblical.

Romans 12:2 NLT

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Move From Fear to Faith

Hebrews 13:6 NLT

6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Choose to Love More

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Colossians 3:1–4 NLT

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

1 John 3:16 NLT

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 4:7 NLT

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

On this next trip around the sun, how can you choose to love others as we know we should?

Paul’s advice:

Ephesians 4:1–3 NLT

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Humility and gentleness: 4:1