As the old year ends and the new one begins, we like to look back at the memorable moments. 2022 was a mixture of good and bad, as they all are. Most of us were glad to see it end and ready to start 2023. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, my husband opened the door and I told him, “Open it wide and let this old year out and new year in.” This is a custom we had both recently read about and had discussed earlier. In the distance we heard the fireworks and a few horns honked. But will the new year mean a better year, or just more of the same? Covid is still around, the government is still corrupt in so many ways, people are still hurting…How can we see any hope for a better year to come?
I turned to the back of my Bible to the Concordance, and looked up the word ‘new.’ The first reference took me to Psalm 96: 1 O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
What a great way to start the year, with a new song…a new song of hope and praise. I’m sure He has had His fill of complaining and discontent. As I read further into the Psalm it reminded me to bless His name and show forth His salvation from day to day. 8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name. Then, I noticed that several of the other Psalms begin in a similar way… Psalm 98 tells us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, make a loud noise, and rejoice and sing praise. Psalm 100: Serve the Lord with gladness and come before His presence with singing. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name.
The next reference took me to Lamentations 3:22-23. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
Not being real familiar with the book of Lamentations, I looked back at the forward which gives a little background on it. The city of Jerusalem has been destroyed and Jeremiah bears his emotions at the death of his beloved city. Then, in the midst of his sorrow, he finds hope and turns tragedy into a triumph of faith. Realizing that the God he loves has never failed him yet, Jeremiah finds comfort and the ability to move on. We too are reminded that, even though the last year had it’s trials and tribulations, we made it through because God’s mercies were new every morning. When we asked, He was always there to give us the hope we needed to get through each day. May we ask more quickly in the new year and always be thankful for the mercy He shows.
The next reference for the word ‘new’ is found in John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
From there we go to 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.
This verse brings us back to our own salvation and the change that took place in our heart once we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Next, Ephesians 4: 22-24 reminds us: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt…And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
How I love reading and re-reading these pages of the New Testament where I learned about Jesus and His love for us. If we follow these reminders and most importantly, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations.” Matthew 28: 19… the new year truly will be a good one and we will know that He is with us always…even to ends of the earth. Let us find that ‘new song,’ and sing it loudly in 2023! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
