We have almost come to the end of this year 2012.  It can be a most frightening thought.  It is frightening for at least two reasons.  First, an enormous amount of time, which in reality is our own life has passed away.  1 year or 365 days which works out to be about 8760 hours have passed away forever.  If you go on a 7-days tour and you waste 20 hours waiting at the airport because the flight is delayed, you will be very unhappy because this time of 20 hours is so costly.  If, however you have not made good use of the year 2012, the time wasted is not 20 hours but over 8000 hours.  It is frightening to know that you have wasted so much of your life.

Second, it is frightening because with each passing year, the return of our Lord and Saviour draws ever closer.  He is coming a second time to judge the world and also judge us for how we have spent our time (2Cor 5:10):

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

God is a judge who will judge righteously.  He is, however, also our merciful Father (Lam 3:22-23):

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

If you have not been faithful this year, it is time to return to your Heavenly Father and start a new walk with Him.  God willing, He will give you another new year to serve Him.  I urge you, hence, if you have wasted the year 2012, do not waste the new year 2013.  There are several things you should do.

First, confess you sins to God.  Ask Him to forgive you for your unfaithfulness, unbelief, sins, love of the world, the wrongs you have committed against people around you, etc.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Second, resolve to do several things right next year. Set goals for (1) your spiritual life: e.g. at least 15 minutes of Quiet Time in the morning or night or to put away one bad habit; (2) your family life: to have family worship once a week; (3) to lead 3 persons to Christ in the year 2013.

If you have not received Jesus as Saviour, or if you are still not sure about your salvation, I urge you, do the most important thing so that you can start the new year on the right footing: Believe in Jesus, that is, receive Him as your Lord and Saviour and resolve from this day on, to follow Him faithfully.  There is no point in setting goals to want to attain high goals when the most important problem in your life is not solved: if you were to die today, where are you going?  You cannot be happy and neither can your heart be at peace if you have not solved the problem of death.  If death were to visit you tonight, where will you be?  We praise and thank God: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  Do not delay anymore.  Believe in Jesus today.  Receive the eternal life.  When you have Jesus as your Saviour in the new year, you have the best for all eternity.