Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year 2016 | Page 46

Sunday—January 1st

The Lord Comes to Graciously Save You!
Romans 8:31-32
The strategy for picking sides for football games during middle school recess was simple:
Whoever got Derek would win. Derek was a great athlete. He was also bigger and faster than
everyone else in our school. So if we were fortunate enough to pick first and get Derek on our
team, we wouldn’t have to worry who the opposition was or what they did… we had Derek!

As you enter into a new year, there’s a good chance you’re going to face opposition, whether
it’s a new opponent or an old rival. The opponents like to wear a variety of uniforms. They’ll
show up in a stack of unpaid bills, a fear of failure, a marriage that’s on the edge, a family that
doesn’t get along, a friend who’s more like an enemy, or even a life-threatening disease. These
opponents are tough and they hit you at your weak points. They hit you hard without warning
and before you know it, you feel like you’re down 21 points without hope of a comeback. So
what’s your strategy? As you begin a new year, what’s your plan of attack?
Well, let’s put it this way, if victory were up to us and our plan, we wouldn’t stand a chance.
Just think back to 2016 and all the plans we made. How often did those plans go up in smoke
because of a new, unexpected hurdle? The truth is, we would be awful “team captains”
because our grip on this life is extremely weak!
So instead of approaching this new year from the perspective of the “team captain” who
strategizes what and who we need on our side in order to succeed, let’s put ourselves among
the players being picked. And who is picking our team? Why, the greatest of them all, God
himself. God has chosen us to be his own. Paul says in today’s lesson, “If God is for us, who
can be against us?” Our almighty God will never be overpowered by anything or anyone.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand against him. We can enter into this new year with
complete confidence that no matter what opponents we face, God is for us!
We don’t need a strategy or a significant amount of luck to get God on our “team.” He chose us;
He didn’t spare his own son, but graciously sent him to save us! And he will also graciously give
us all the things we need in 2017.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending me Jesus to save me from my greatest opponent in
this life, my sins. Give me confidence in your faithfulness as I enter a new year of your grace. In
Jesus name. Amen.
ACTIVITY:
Have each family member share an “opponent” he/she will face in this coming year and how
the assurance that “God is for us” helps him/her in the fight.

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