Hope for a New Year

Looking ahead to 2025

Happy New Year!

Many of us like to start a new year with a bit of optimism and looking forward to good things to come, perhaps with a few resolutions or fresh starts (or, at least, good intentions).

I have to say that I am not a great fan of new year celebrations, and I prefer to view them as a continuation of Christmas. I enjoy the season of Advent, reflecting on the coming of Christ; Immanuel, God with us. Advent is also a time of preparation for Christ’s return, which is with each day ever closer. As Advent ends, Christmas Day arrives and the season of Christmas begins properly. As with Advent, I enjoy the season of Christmas and I like to make the most of it right up until twelfth night. So it is very much still Christmas in my house!

My country has become so secularised that Christmas for many is now Christ-less, rather than having Christ at the centre. There are even mounting efforts to remove the word Christmas altogether, leaving nothing but pagan winter festivities. So Christians should embrace the fulness, traditions and wonder of Christmas - and I fully intend to!

With the preparations and focus of Advent, followed by the celebrations and joy of Christmas, there is the perfect recipe for going into a new year with hope and resolve and faith, keeping our eyes fixed on Christ. Why is this so important?

The reality of the world we are living in here in the West at the start of 2025 is pretty dark, if you are prepared to open your eyes and acknowledge what is obvious or only thinly veiled. Wars and war-mongering; governments which lie and deceive; false ideologies such as pride, transgenderism and net zero; censorship and attacks on free-speech; out of control immigration; state overreach and ‘two-tier’ policing; ever-increasing abortion rates; assisted suicide; attacks on the family unit, farming and small business; hostility towards Christianity; the rise of identity politics and critical race theory; the mantra of ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ … the list goes on. Dark, damaging and depressing.

It seems that even our King has fallen for much of this dark agenda. Gavin Ashenden has done a brilliantly perceptive and frank analysis of King Charles’ Christmas speech (link below), and concluded that he is not on the side of us, his people. Gavin says that the King is siding with our oppressors, with the state, and with those who are not Christians. Rightly, in my view, Gavin regards this as sad, dangerous and threatening.

Returning to my earlier question, fixing our eyes on Jesus is more important now than ever - imperative, in fact. Christ is our only hope, and when we keep our focus on him and on his word, then everything else falls into proper perspective. The light shines brighter than the darkness; good triumphs over evil; the battle lines become clear and ultimate victory is assured; hope and joy can be found even whilst suffering and trials are endured; true freedom blossoms; identity is secured; truth wins; the faithful remnant church rises; and we are reminded that God never leaves us nor forsakes us.

We must be realistic about the battle which is raging, and clear about which side we are on and who else is with us, as well as who is against us! All through scripture we are warned about the schemes of the devil, the nature of evil, and the sin which runs through the human heart. Our Saviour Jesus Christ taught us and showed us how to fight the enemy, the armour we need to protect ourselves, the weapons to use in battle, and, crucially, revelation of the certain outcome: victory over sin and death, and an eternity with God.

So, it is with the spirit of Christmas, Christ with us, that I look forward to the year ahead and whatever it may bring, confident in the power of God, the promises of his word, and the hope of glory.

Gavin Ashenden’s analysis of the King’s Christmas speech: