While driving through Texas to go to the Cottonbowl, I noticed one of the road signs – New Year, New You, Buckle up Saves Lives. Really? Does a “new date” on the calendar make a “new you”? Later that night we watched the Ball drop in New York City as the country celebrated the arrival of 2022. You could almost feel the release of all of the old events of 2021 and the anticipation of something different coming in 2022.
The Bible has several things to say about the “new”, and its claims are proven true.
Welcome to the New
- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Becoming a Jesus follower is more than a mental change. The Bible clearly says you become a new person when you are in Christ. I know you still may look the same, BUT God has done a transformation of your heart into a new life.
- And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
- This new heart and new spirit will give you the ability to be the loving, caring, and responsive to God and to other people. Hard hearted is bad, tenderness toward others is good
- This verse can be claimed to help you reengage in meaningful prayer and the ability to relate to God while reading the Bible. Both of these activities should be high on your list of “todo’s” for the new year.
- Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19
- God’s “new” ways break through our “old” dead ends and dry spots in our lives.
- When you come to the place where there is no way out, when you have boxed yourself in, when there are no more good options, God still has a way forward. His ways and thoughts are not like ours, He operates from a higher plane of understanding and wisdom for our lives.
- Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Isaiah 42:10
- Praising the Lord, gives you the privilege of singing or utter a new song of worship to Him. When it comes from your heart and mouth it will be new, because it may be the first time coming from you.
- But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
- So much emphasis is placed upon physical renewal of vitality for the new year. Eating and exercising are only part of this change.
- Isaiah reminds us that posturing our lives to wait upon the Lord, will yield the results of renewed strength. I definitely would like to run and not be weary :).
- The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24
- Everyone messes up. Everyone fails to keep commitments. Everyone will find themselves in need of mercy at some point – maybe repeatedly throughout the day.
- God’s mercies are new every morning and they never come to an end. That feels like somebody should give a shout of Praise to the Lord.
Write each of these verses down on a sticky note or 3×5 card to memorize in this New Year. MercyMe published and Album called “Welcome to the New”. If you have not heard it, at least read the lyrics to songs like, “Flawless” or “Greater”. These songs were written from a person changed by a “new” revelation of God’s love and grace in their life.
God is always moving, He did not wait until 2022 to start, but neither is He slowing down. He pursues you for a relationship which is life giving and purposeful.
May God bless you with a New Year and a New You. Because of His rich mercies, welcome to the New.
Blessings Love y’all