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            A year is many things. It is twelve months in the Gregorian calendar. It begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st. It is 52 weeks. It is 365 days (66 days for leap years). It is 8,760 hours. It is another birthday. It’s a long time if you’re miserable. It’s a short time if you’re having fun.            

2021 was an extraordinary year in many ways. Perhaps most notably it was something of a return to “normalcy.” We have returned to most of our normal activities after months of quarantining and isolation. Not everyone has returned to meeting with the saints, but most have done so. It has been a happy and busy year for the Mabelvale church. We have marked off another calendar year, but have we thought about the opportunities that have come and gone?            

The year now gone had 52 Sundays in it. Sunday is the “Lord’s Day,” that is set aside for worship to God (Acts 20:7). Each one of those Sundays had a time especially devoted to Bible study. Did you take full advantage of the opportunities for fellowship, worship, learning and growing that each Lord’s day afforded you? Some still express fears of being around people in crowds. For that reason, they have not returned to worship services. It is very easy for one to return to the assembly and remain safe from harm. It only requires a heart to do so – a heart to obey God in all things. Can we look back and say that we have made good use of the time we had? (Eph. 5:16)            

This year God gave us 365 days with 24 hours each, giving a total of 8,760 hours. About 2,080 hours were devoted to the daily grind. About 2,920 hours were required for sleep. That left about 3,760 hours for other things. How many of those hours were given to the cause of Christ and his church? Those hours are gone and cannot be reclaimed. Think of the days and hours ahead!