A New Year, A New Song

Jan 14

Written By Brad

“Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!” Psalm 96 ESV

As a child, I was notorious for waking up each morning with an almost unnatural enthusiasm for the day ahead. My enthusiasm, most of the time in the form of singing, would ooze from my bedroom, bubble over into the hallway, invade my sister’s room, and eventually find its way to my parent’s room, where it would, like a rooster’s unwelcome call, beckon their awakening.

My stepdaughter, “Bean,” apparently shares my same enthusiasm, evidenced by her gentle humming and singing each morning, well ahead of our scheduled alarms. My wife and I are thankful that she has a joy within her that she simply cannot contain. It flows out of her and washes over those around her. Suddenly we find ourselves having been called out of our sleep and slumber into the excitement and anticipation of all the possibilities associated with a new beginning. Amazingly, her joy is present on each new day regardless of the events, good or bad, of the previous day. Each morning, her heart and her spirit are renewed, and with that renewal comes a new song.

Psalm 96 tells us to “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!”.

Verses 2-4 state:

Sing to the Lord, praise his name;

proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

he is to be feared above all gods.

With the new year underway, I encourage you to let each day in 2023 be a new song of praise unto the Lord. Like any instrument, we must be prepped and tuned to be ready for the song. Here are four steps for preparing your heart and spirit to proclaim God’s praises.

I. Seek Him out every day.

Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

If possible, set aside time each morning to study the Bible. It is the greatest tool we have for understanding who He is and a means through which He reveals His character to us. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to receive His message and pray for wisdom and guidance as you prepare to tackle each day’s tasks.

II.Take time to reflect. Dedicate time in the evening to reflect on the events of the day. If you are not already in the habit, work towards keeping a daily journal. Some of the benefits of journaling include unpacking your thoughts and emotions from each day by putting them into words, journaling provides a record of spiritual insights and growth, and it can add an element of discipline and accountability to your spiritual walk. Here is a wonderful article from the website Desiring God titled “Five Ways to Flourish in Journaling.”

III.Connect with people of faith. Are you a member of a strong community of faith? The Bible speaks to us about the importance of community:

· “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” Psalm 133:1

· “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20

· “ For as in one body we have many members,[e] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12: 4-5

*God is communal by nature in that his very identity is expressed through the relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Furthermore, when the LORD created Adam, he noted that it was not good for man to be alone and thus created Eve, a helper, wife, and life partner. (Genesis 2:18) We were built to be a part of a community, and the community of faith is crucial for our spiritual growth and overall wellness.

IV.Be grateful and share how He is working in your life. There are over 7000 promises that God makes to His people in the Bible. Promises of faithfulness, protection, provision, comfort, renewed strength, and promises of enduring love. Romans 8:38-39 states:

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The more I understand God’s character and slowly begin to believe what the Bible says about how He sees me, the more I open my heart and mind to embrace the promises He has made to me and to all of us. When I consider these things, I can’t help but respond with gratitude. And like the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), I am compelled to share the good news with others.

Let each day of 2023 be a new song of praise to the LORD.

“Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 106:1

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A New Year Blessing

May you be filled with the peace and joy of the Lord in 2023.

May the joy of the LORD flow out of you such that it washes over everyone you encounter.

May each day of your life be a new song of praise to the Lord so that others may come to know Him.