Auld Lang Syne,
My Friends

Auld Lang Syne, My Friends

This song, often attributed to Scotland’s favorite poet Robert Burns, is often sung at New Year’s celebrations. At the stroke of midnight, these lyrics are sung, as the world watches an old year slip away and a new year appear.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot.

And days of Auld Lang Syne?

For Auld Lang Syne, my dear, For Auld Lang Syne;

We’ll take a cup of kindness yet.

For Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne means: “Old Long Since” The words can be interpreted “for old time sakes”, or “the olden days”.

The meaning of this song can be a little confusing, when the question is asked do, we forget all old acquaintances? This means past associations (friends, loved ones, peers and co-workers and any other binding relationships) whether good or bad. The song serves as a rhetorical question. First asking should we forget and never remember anymore, but finally the song concludes. In essence, let’s just take a cup of kindness and let it be, let it be for old time sakes.

Moving forward can have all the emotions mentioned in the song. Thoughts of letting go of past memories often take us to places of new determinations. New goals, and new desires. So how should we formulate our thinking as we face 2025?

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:12-14, Brothern I do not consider that I have made it on my own but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind

and straining towards what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

In retrospect, Paul is saying there are many things I am forgetting as I move forward. Now Paul did not forget his past entirely, he knew where he had come from and how he had made it thus far. Paul remembered others that had a tremendous impact on his life whether for good or bad. But Paul was also faced with the challenge, where do I go from here? Do I live in the past, or strain for something new and even better? Paul’s greatest comfort was knowing in Christ everything is better. Every year brings us closer to the savior. Every year we become more Christ like. So, for the believer, there is no old-time sake. We press for the goal set before us. Our goal is to finish this life and live with God forever. How we set out to finish is what keeps us living for God, daily.

What can we honestly do about the past anyway? Now is the time, today is your time. So as the song goes, let’s take that cup of kindness and share it with those we meet every day. Let our cup of kindness overflow to those all around us. Let’s focus on a new year, a new start, a greater opportunity to know God more. Because we are living in 2025 let’s thank God for the privilege of being a part of His plan for the year.

Are you ready? I am. Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025. Auld Lang Syne my friend, old times sakes are gone.

xoxo

Michelle Obleton