One tick of the clock, one famous ball-drop in Times Square, and another year will officially begin.

Of course, in the time it took to write that intro an infinite number of new beginnings have taken place. Any moment, every moment is the right time for change. Yet we, as a rule, tend to wait for some magic moment – some rock-star, light show, fireworks kind of moment – to re-begin.

It seems that I’ve been waiting around for the first of January since the middle of November. I went off my low-carb diet about the time I had my colonoscopy. For the record, I was REALLY hungry after that “cleansing” and would have eaten just about anything they put in front of me. The anything I chose was far from carb-free and I started promising myself to start a new plan: eat less – exercise more. As of today (Christmas Eve), I am still making that promise and still looking forward to that first tick of the clock in 2019 to change my physical life.

Unfortunately, many of us do the same sort of thing when it comes to our spiritual lives. We make resolutions (seldom kept) and wait for another opportune moment to start again. “Perhaps I’ll be more spiritual after Easter – or Labor Day – or Thanksgiving.”

The apostle Paul tried to encourage his friends and fellow Christians at Corinth to stay the course and remain faithful to the Gospel he had delivered to them. They were a difficult lot – full of difficulties and division – and Paul felt compelled to call them back to the truth.

“As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (1 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV).

See you Sunday.