A New Hope for the New Year

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Scripture: Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Devotion:

            We are almost to the new year. 2021 was a year of struggle and illness for many people. Our nations death toll from the virus topped 800,000. While we mourn the loss of so many people, we read the Bible as a word of hope in this distressing time. Things will not always go from bad to worse. God has promised to make all things new.

            This world is in labor pains. Both physically and spiritually the world is changing before our very eyes. God’s church is in decline here in the U.S., but it is expanding in other countries. The earth is undergoing natural disasters, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and pandemics are all causing pain and suffering for us and for our environment.

            God, however, has not forsaken us. As Jesus says in Matthew 28:18b-20 (NIV). . .  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We can trust that Jesus is with us no matter what happens. We have his word as a guarantee of his presence with us always.

            The passage from Revelation quoted above tells of the consummation of things at the end of time. We should place our hope on what God is doing. Secure in the fact that He loves us and cares for us as His people. Whether 2022 proves to be any better of a year than 2021 is in God’s hands. Regardless of what happens ultimately God is in control. Let us hope and pray that God will have mercy on us and provide better times for us in this next year. But if not, we can rest in the fact that God is with us and will be with us always, so we have nothing to fear.

Prayer:

            Glory to you Holy God! All praise to you Father God, your son Jesus, and to the Holy Spirit. We celebrate the new year which is upon us. With hope filled hearts we say good bye to 2021 hoping for better things in 2022. Be with us we pray throughout the new year. Lead us forward into the future unafraid of what lies ahead because we know all things are in your mighty hands. We now confidently place our trust in you to guide us on our way. Amen

           

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