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Verse:“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” —Revelation 3:8
Every New Year brings about new expectations and new challenges. But when was January 1 chosen as New Year’s Day? We are indebted to ancient Romans for this.
For political and military reasons, in 153 BC, the Roman Senate set January 1 as the beginning of the new year. Despite some disagreement, the day was kept in both the Julian calendar, adopted in 46 BC, and the Gregorian calendar, adopted first in 1582 by most Catholic countries and later by others. Some historians argue that the name January (Latin Ianuarius) derives from the Latin term ianua (door) because January is the door to the year.
But most historians associate January with Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates, of beginnings and transitions. As a two-faced god, he could look back to the past and forward to the future. At any rate, both possible interpretations express the notion of an open door to the future. In contrast to the ancient Roman god Janus, Jesus Christ presents Himself to us as the “way” (John 14:6), “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22:13), and the One who has set before us “an open door, and no one can shut it” (Revelation 3:8). He has graciously opened for us the door of access to a new set of 365 time segments that we call days. We are just starting our journey into this new year, and every single day is a new beginning. And we are not alone in our journey. In Matthew 28:20, Christ promised us, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age”; or, as stated in The Message paraphrase, “I’ll be with you... day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” This means that He will be with us on our cloudy and rainy days as well as our sunny ones. Keep in mind that your life is a succession of days, and each day is your life in miniature. Without change, you will remain just what you are.
If change is needed, why not begin today? Make the best of your life for God’s sake and for the sake of lost humanity, in need of salvation.
With God by your side every day, this can be the best year of your life. Happy New Year!