Welcome to 2024!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
(Numbers 6:24-26)
As I woke up this morning, Monday, January 1, 2024, I intentionally wanted to take a moment before getting up to pray. Okay Lord, here we go, 2024, a new year and a new beginning for so many people. Help me to be rooted in you, today I want to make an active decision to start this year off well spiritually. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but God you are in control.
And then the house started to creak, and low and behold we’re starting 2024 off with a little earthquake. Note: I live in Southern California, it happens.
What did I do? I lay in bed and chuckled. The dark humor comes out to say, “Great! That’s how we’re starting the year? Is this some sort of foreshadowing God for what the year is going to hold? Or just a warning to my own life, get your foundation firm and be ready to stand?”
Could mean a variety of things or simple could mean nothing as the earth’s tectonic plates shake themselves up. I mean, it was just Christmas, and many who celebrate with family often feel they are pushed close to the edge and there is friction all around them. Guess tectonic plates feel that way too.
Welcome to the New Year! Let’s shake things up!
Truth moment: I’ve never been a New Year’s Resolution kind of person. Nor have I really looked back at years and thought, “Sheesh, glad that year is done.” Years all tend to blur together for me, and the seasons of my life have never been pinpointed by the passing or coming of a specific year. There are no milestones achieved by a target date, or anniversaries to look back on and recall a specific year fondly.
Today is the day the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad. And so was yesterday, so is tomorrow.
Yet, it’s nearly impossible to escape social media posts about saying goodbye to the year (yes I made a year-end recap reel myself), and phoning God to make sure we’re set for the premium package in the year to come. A nice peaceful year, with no more natural disasters, global pandemics, countries at war or political uprisings. But if we are all honest, we know that 2024 is going to be filled with political stress in the U.S.
A political election year is always bound to stir unrest and to overwhelm thoughts. We don’t know what November 2024 is going to bring, we don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. If you want to look at individual years, the last four have not been kind to us. So, it’s no surprise that this year brings out some post-traumatic stress in us.
As Christians we can’t know what’s coming here in this temporary home, but we live each day with the assurance of our eternal home.
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
(Philippians 3:20-21)
We do not know what decisions will be made by others or then how others will react. We can’t know and we can’t control their actions. But we can control our own thoughts and actions. We can choose to live in the certainty that is brought through Jesus, to know what kind of image we want to bear as we step in to 2024. We can focus on keeping close to Jesus, praying for the fruits of his spirit to produce in us, and live in daily reminders of God’s grace to us.
Living as image bearers of Christ, we live as examples of God to the world. So, when times of unrest and fear come, how do we respond? Do we allow ourselves to be swept away on the tide of unease with the rest of the world, or do we stand as a lighthouse on solid ground pointing light in the storm?
“I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them.”
(John 16:4 )
Jesus doesn’t hide that we will live in dark times and have trouble.
Remember that our hope and salvation are secure – no one can separate you from him. Remember that you can prepare yourself to step into the unknown of a new year and walk in confidence because you walk with God.
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”
(Romans 8:31-32)
You can reframe your anxieties and focus on what is pleasing.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
(Philippians 4: 4-9)
You can begin today to check your foundation, making sure that your faith stands firmly in the hope of Jesus. And know that God is not a God to sets us and forgets us. But He gives us blessing to continue to live as his image bearers in this world.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
(Numbers 6:24-26)
God proclaimed these words through Moses to Aaron in the book of Numbers. Reading the Old Testament is hard and confusing at the best of times. Numbers 6 is likewise confusing as it describes the Vow of the Nazirites. As the people of Israel are preparing to leave Mt. Sinai and continue journeying through the wilderness to the promise land, we are introduced to this vow. A pledge taken by men and women who wished to separate themselves for God.
Reading through the “rules” of this vow, it probably makes you cringe. No alcohol, no cutting of your hair, avoid contact with dead and if you are ever unintentionally defied there is a rigorous purification period.
But I think the point here gets lost in the requirements. We forget to see that even here, as the people of Israel are stepping out into the wilderness, there are those who recognize that it will bring challenge and uncertainty. And recognize the firm foundation they will need with God in order to continue towards the promise land. They wanted to set themselves apart from what culture would influence and remain steadfast to God.
And in response to this vow, God puts his name on his people through this blessing in verse 24-26. And this blessing is placed upon you and me who call Jesus Lord and Savior. In a time where the people of Israel were stepping back out into the unknown, hearts were stirred with a desire to remain close to God in the wilderness. Setting their foundation. And God responded to give his blessing.
Friends, make no doubt, we are stepping into wilderness headed towards the promise of heavenly citizenship. What foundation are you going to be standing on in this journey? Remain close to God in the unknown of 2024. Make a vow to be with him daily (in his word, in prayer) and know that you walk each day with his blessing written on you.
