It is fortunate that New Year’s Day rarely falls on a Sunday. Many who stayed up last night to greet the New Year are in no condition to worship today. [Though I understand that a few could be heard this morning moaning, “Oh God . . . Oh God . . . Oh God  . . . “]  And then, of course there is football, the real religion of many in our land. New Year’s Day is always a day of worship for the true football devotee.  But here you and I are in the house of God. This, of course, is where we ought to begin a New Year. 

I want to begin with a football story, but you don’t have to be a football fan to appreciate it.  It’s about a young man named Kyle. Kyle Maynard was born with some of the birth defects that every parent fears--stunted arms and legs and misshapen hands and feet.  Most people woul…