Greetings and Happy New Year!

With 2008 ending, I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13 and 14, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The current world economic and political scene seems to bring us dire headline news each day, but these words of Paul remind us that we can be hopeful in what the future brings as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

This past year we studied the book of Colossians as a collective body throughout the mission of SI. Every outreach in each country as well as all of us at the Service Center journeyed through another one of Paul’s letters. Colossians 1:15-20 reminds us that Christ is our “all in all.” He has paid the price by making peace through his blood on the cross. In other words, it is a “done” deal. The work of the cross was made complete, grace and forgiveness made available for all. As believers, our challenge is on-going as Paul reminds us that we must be in a daily habit of taking off the stuff of the old nature and putting on all that we have available to us in Jesus. Daily we must choose to keep putting on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love. What a great resolution for the new year. To wake up each day and “put on” this wonderful wardrobe and by the grace of God to be fleshing it out one life at a time.

Blessings to you all,
Dave