As the final days of this year have drawn to a close and the first day of the New Year has come, I, like many people, become more reflective and introspective. This past month has been a source of much emotion. The month started with the loss of people. A good friend and good man lost his battle to a horrible disease later in the month. But, two days ago, I met a new baby who came into this world full of life.

While at the hospital, I had a interesting moment of clarity. On the third floor of the local hospital, there are three very unique departments. They are the Intensive Care Unit, the Oncology Care unit, and the Family Birthing Center. Caught in the divide between birth and death, a phrase came to my attention. Eckhart Tolle wrote in his book, A New Earth, “Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.” We have all heard a situation describe as a life and death matter, which portrays those two statuses as opposites, But, as Tolle reminds us, birth is the opposite of death.

Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.

In this New Year, my choice is to see life as a gift from our Heavenly Father. Romans 6:23 NIV says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If we accept the gift that God has for us in the New Year, then we can echo the author’s thought and say, “Life is eternal.”

Know His peace in this New Year! Soli Deo Gloria!