As years come and go, we ought always to be reminded of the undeserved privilege we get. Going into another year is not merely a crossing-over, as it’s commonly called. However, it is a granting of more time upon one’s life. In essence, it is a granting of more time to live on earth.
You might have worked hard in the previous year, and you now deserve some treat. Maybe you want to get a new toy for the new year because the savings are good, or you deserve that new position because you qualify. You might rightly deserve all these and many more in 2023, however and in all honesty, you do not deserve to be in 2023. You do not deserve more time because you contributed nothing to deserve more time. It is really a privilege, so treat it as such.
If it is a privilege then one must be wise to make much out of it. It is a vain thing to just treat it like 2022! It is a vain thing to remain the same as you were in 2022! It is a vain thing if you use it for what is impure, evil, and temporal. Hence, it is additional time to live wisely before God. It is additional time to serve him more and better. It is additional time to love him and behold him sincerely.
Besides time, a Christian has many other privileges. Here are three others that should cause you to be wise in the time of 2023:
- The privilege of being justified in God’s sight (Romans 5:1, 17). The Christian is given the right to eternal life and fellowship with God.
- The privilege of possessing a new nature for spiritual things (Romans 8:9). By the strength of this life within, believers begin to be holy and grow in holiness. This holiness is the fruit of the new life in a soul quickened by God and is proof that this new life is received.
- The privilege of joy in actually practicing this new kind of living every day and delighting in holy matters.
Grace to the Nation 