As a new year begins, we can expect to hear of any number of “Ten Best” lists: ten best movies, ten best books, ten most important news items, and so on.
There’s nothing magical, of course, about the number 10. Nor is there any specific value to be attached to the first day of the calendar year.
But it’s only natural to be more interested in and attached to certain numbers–the Bible features “40,” for example, as the number of years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and the number of days Christ was tempted in the wilderness. In these cases, “40” really just meant, “a lot!”
Whatever number we choose, we can use this time of year to count our blessings, and to look forward to 365 more days when we can do good works, by God’s grace. —J. Douglas Ousley
