The first day at a new job.

The first day of the new year.

The first fresh cup of coffee in the morning.

The first blank page in a new journal.

The first words in Scripture...

"In the beginning..."

Genesis 1:1

There is so much potential in a moment that marks the start of something new. When January comes, we determine we are going to be different this year. Lose weight, get out of debt, work less, play more...be different.

Every year, I crack open the front cover of my Bible and open it to the first chapter of the first book and begin to read it all over again. Genesis marks the beginning of everything we see, hear, smell, taste, feel. It's the story of how our world was created, how God formed each thing with care down to the finest detail. It's the story of how man and woman were formed. It's the first beginning.

But it's also the first end.

We don't get too far into this idyllic setting before everything gets messed up. Something tragic happens that sets the course of human history in a seemingly irreversible spiral towards pain, destruction and chaos for generations to come (Genesis 3).

It's why we have a love/hate relationship with new beginnings. Every year we crave change. We crave another chance at a better life. We crave a new beginning. And every year, over the course of time, we know these lofty goals we have set for ourselves are never going to last, and soon we're right back in our old ways. We'll never be perfect...on our own.

Let's look at those words again...but this time in the New Testament:

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:1-5

In this passage, the "Word" is referring to God's powerful ability to speak things into existence, from creation to revelation and salvation. In the New Testament, Jesus is the personification of that "Word". Jesus wasn't created as a back-up plan--He is God and always existed. And He is the last "new beginning" we'll ever need.

He gives life. John 3:16

His light shines in the darkness--and the darkness will never snuff it out. John 1:5

In Him all things are made new. Revelation 21:5

When we give our lives over to Him, we are made into a new creation--a masterpiece (no weight loss supplements needed). 2 Corinthians 5:17 & Ephesians 2:10

This year, let's ditch our list of New Year's Resolutions and instead commit to the one New Beginning that is guaranteed to last for all eternity. Let's commit to becoming closer to Jesus.

It's a chance to do things differently, to do things better...once and for all.