A New Year's Wish from Jimmy Young

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a beautiful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise with songs of praise!

(Psalm 90:1-2; ESV)

If you are reading this message, it means that the Lord has not only blessed you to see a new day, it also means He’s also blessed you to see a new year.  The year 2024 has come and gone, and the Lord has given believers yet another opportunity to bless His holy name.  It’s easy to get so engrossed in our daily activities that we fail to recognize that praising the Lord is actually a privilege.  Whether life smells like a bed of fresh roses, or it smells like a bed of corpse flowers (a very stinky plant; look it up!), we should bless the Lord at all times.  In fact, the Bible tells us that His praises should continually be in our mouths (Psalm 34:1).  That can certainly be a bit of a challenge when we’re dealing with the pains and uncertainties that life throws our way at any unsuspecting moment.  Nevertheless, the Word of God encourages us to never cease to praise the God of all creation, no matter our circumstances.   

King David, of course, is the role model for how we are to praise God in all circumstances.  David was a very imperfect man and a very imperfect King, yet God called David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).  Why would God place such an ideal moniker on a man with so much blood on his hands?  Because David not only continually sought the Lord’s guidance, he also praised the Lord with reckless abandonment; so much so, that David’s own wife Michal was embarrassed by her husband’s exuberance for the Lord.  (2 Samuel 6:16-22).    

Have you ever praised God in such a way?  Have you ever been so overwhelmed with experiencing how good God is that you weren’t afraid of expressing it in some form, whether it be eagerly telling anyone who will listen about what God has brought you through; posting a “praise report” on social media; or unashamedly raising up holy hands in public?  No matter how you express your thankfulness to the Lord, do so with a pure heart filled with praise and with genuine gratitude.  I’m referring to genuine praise, my Brothers and Sisters - - not the performances you may have seen that are meant to stir up emotions and to get you sweating as if you just ran a marathon.  True praise comes from a heart of thanksgiving, and not out of a misguided sense of obligation. 

I do not subscribe to New Year’s resolutions.  However, I have decided to make openly praising the Lord more of a priority in my life, starting today.  Praising the Lord aloud is not just reserved for Sundays.  The Lord has blessed me beyond measure, and I owe the Father a debt I couldn’t possibly repay.  In fact, we all do.  God gave His only Son to be the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:23), and if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).  Saved from what, you may ask?  From God’s wrath that is to come, and His wrath will be poured out on all those who reject the free gift of salvation that comes through faith in Jesus.

Without faith in the Lord Jesus, we remain enemies of God. Through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are declared children of God (Romans 8:16).  Isn’t that worth celebrating?!?  If you truly love the Lord, do not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and do not be ashamed to give Him the praise no matter your circumstances.  Be determined to walk into the new year with a renewed sense of praise in your heart.  As King David exclaimed:  

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

(Psalm 103:1-5, ESV)

God bless, and Happy New Year.