A Terrible Year

It happened again today...  it's been happening for over a month now.  Every time I go out in public, someone has to remark on what a terrible year it's been.   Today at the grocery store, I overheard two customers that had high hopes that 2010 would be a better year than this year.   "What a terrible year it's been."    I understand that some people have had difficulty.   But if you listened to everyone that complained about 2009, you'd think we lived in a third world country.  You'd think we had nothing to eat. You'd think we had no place to live.  You'd think that it was a....  well, a terrible year.

Every time I hear someone say that 2009 was a terrible year, I think of the Christian's in the underground churches in communist countries being tortured for their faith.  It may have been a bad year for them, although many of them consider it a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ.   When someone tells me it's been a terrible year, I think of all the freedoms I have enjoyed by living in this land.  When someone says it's been a terrible year, I wonder if every year is terrible for them.   Maybe they just like to complain... or perhaps 2009 really was a terrible year for some people - maybe a loved one died, maybe they lost a job, maybe their marriage isn't right.   And maybe their hopes had been dashed.  And if so, I wish for 2010 to be better.  

I do wonder though, if the people with a bad 2009 had put their hope in their 401K, or put their hope in the value of their house or other material things.  Maybe part of the reason 2009 was so bad for some people is that they had put their hope in a new president who didn't quite deliver what they expected.   Mortal men, even presidents, do not bring the hope that people are looking for.  Health problems, conflict in relationships, money issues... all have the potential to destroy our outlook if we do not handle them correctly.   Despite the many things that come our way, there is still hope for a better year to come.

It can be a better year for all of us if our hope is in the right place.    In 2010, lets look to the real hope, Jesus Christ.

May your new year be full of happiness and hope,
Mark