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Today's devotional reading for: Tuesday, Dec 31, 2019 The Spirits of New Year’s Eve Finish Well “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long at the wine, those who go to seek mixed wine.” — Proverbs 23:29-30 Some today call alcoholism merely a “disease.” The Bible calls it drunkenness. But you know, it is an interesting “disease” because the only way you can become an alcoholic is to get drunk. The Bible says that no drunkard will enter into the kingdom of heaven (see I Cor. 6:10). Someone has said that if alcoholism is a disease (and certainly when a person becomes addicted and enslaved by it, it takes on many aspects of a disease): It is the only disease that is contracted by an act of the will… It is the only disease that is bottled and sold… It is the only disease that provokes crime… It is the only disease that bars the patient from heaven. It is a tragic “disease” in America, and it is found among many young people today. Many who are turning away from drugs are turning to alcohol. This is even true of churched young people. Having a drink is one thing, but we should not do anything—including having a drink—if it causes our brother to fall away from the faith. The Bible says that we should not be drunk with wine but instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. Having the joy of the Lord inside takes away the empty hole that some try to fill with drunkenness. Lord, on this New Year’s Eve, we know that many will turn to the bottle for solace. We ask, Dear Father, that instead they would turn to You. Thank You for this past year. We lay the new one at Your feet… BY GOD’S STRENGTH, OUR HEARTS CAN BE AT REST. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” — Revelation 2:11 In Greek mythology, Orpheus, the golden voiced, loses his beautiful wife, Eurydice, and so with lyre in hand he makes his way down through the darkness of the infernal regions in quest of the lost Eurydice, singing his plaintive melodies. As he goes forth and fills the chambers of that nether world with the rich sonorous tones of his plaintive cry, Tantalus stops his futile bending after the receding waters and listens for a while. Even the cheeks of the furies are wet with tears as they hear the poignant plea of Orpheus for his lost wife. At last, Orpheus reaches Pluto, the god of this nether world, who finally condescends to allow him to take his wife back on one condition: that he will not set his eyes upon her until they fully reach the land of light above. They set off, Orpheus before, and his beautiful wife, Eurydice, behind. They pass one obstacle and one danger after another. All hell holds its breath as they make their way tortuously upward, ever closer, until finally they can see the light. So elated is Orpheus, he turns to tell his wife that soon they will be there—and in that moment, all his labor is lost and Eurydice vanishes. That ancient and familiar myth teaches us a great truth: that it is only he who perseveres until the end who shall be saved. It does not really matter how well we start. It is the finish that counts. As the Apostle Paul said: “You ran well. Who hindered you…” (Galatians 5:7). Lord, give me the strength to finish well. If I have previously allowed obstacles to hinder my race, as happened to the Galatians, please forgive me and then give me the grace to get up again and continue with the race you have marked out for me… BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN MAKE IT OVER THE FINISH LINE.

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