It’s the start of a new year and a new beginning for many of us.    Many that are my age (70) as well as on both sides of that decade birthday, the new year ends one chapter of my life and begins another.   I sold my radio station group in August of last year, and officially began retirement after 52 years in the radio business and 43 in ownership, on January 1.

 

From my devotional book I’m reading called “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine” by Paige DeRuyscher (Dayspring, 2021), God brought me just the thought I needed to meditate over.   Let me share some passages from today’s devotional focusing on the hymn “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”:

 

….”Observing others can motivate us to consider new perspectives or try new things.  Many of us would admit that we find comfort in the familiar, and as we age, we may cling to our preferences more tightly, with little desire to consider other options.  We may be less likely to think outside the box, let alone step into unfamiliar territory.  

 

“But when we consider the endless possibilities in this marvelous universe we inhabit, we realize how much we miss when we refuse to leave our bubble.  God knows that sometimes a new experience is just what we need, especially when we seem to be stuck in a rut.

 

“Being open to possibility can feed the spirit.   Not only does it grow us, but it also helps connect us more deeply to our fellow humans—to consider their perspectives, to understand what brings them joy, and maybe even to learn to love something that we can do together.

 

DeRuyscher then quotes Romans 11:36 (NLT):  “Everything comes from Him and exists by His Power and is intended for His Glory.”  She then says that our new opportunities to find joy and connection are His good gifts for us.

 

The devotion wraps up by quoting a verse of the hymn “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”:

 

For the love of God is broader

Than the measure of man’s mind;

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind.

 

As my wife and I venture out of our bubbles into finding new friends, building new relationships, and showing God’s love to them, may we all—no matter what place you are in life—remember that God WANTS us to find new opportunities to show His love to others!