We can easily let the hustle of daily life push aside our view of the cross and the blessings of the gospel, obscuring the most important part of our lives.
A bonenkai (忘年会, literally “forget the year gathering”) is a Japanese drinking party that takes place at the end of the year and is generally held among groups of co-workers or friends. The purpose of the party, as its name implies, is to forget the woes and troubles of the past year, and hopefully look to the new year, usually by consumption of large amounts of alcohol. A bonenkai does not take place on any specific day, but they are usually held within December.
The end of the year is a perfect time to reflect on the past and how we can look forward with renewed purpose. Scripture encourages us to actively choose to leave behind our old burdens and focus on the future with hope.
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13
God promises to “remember our sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). This isn’t a passive act but a purposeful decision to bring no future retribution for our sins because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. And so we can follow Paul’s admonition to live unburdened, with resilient hope, as we move into the New Year.
The world may offer temporary solutions, but these leave us with deeper struggles rather than providing true relief.
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for Christians in Japan to hold tightly to the gospel and remember God’s promises, living in response to the grace and blessings he has poured out over them.
- As we start 2025, pray Christians in Japan will remember that God’s mercy is new every morning, not just on New Year’s Day.
- For those who have not yet trusted in Christ, pray that they would turn away from the world’s temporary solutions, and turn to Christ’s living water and true life.
May each day of the year be lived with faith and hope in the gospel’s transforming power.