New Year, New Decade, New Mercies

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God” Psalm 98:1-3 

New year, new decade, new mercies. Every year on NYE, as the ball drops and the clock strikes midnight, the world joyfully celebrates the new year. There is an undeniable buzz and excitement as people celebrate, but why?

One reason is because with “new” comes a hope for something better and hope is contagious. This type of joyful hope and excitement is such a beautiful picture of what it’s like as a Christ follower to hope for the day when Christ will return and our God will make ALL things new. Rev. 21:5 “ And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

As we consider Psalm 98, the short nine verses in this Psalm are packed full of worshipful celebrations of our God. I love how Charles Spurgeon unpacks the Psalm in three segments mirroring the stanzas:

  • Psalm 98:1-3, the subject of praise is revealed. The Lord has brought salvation, that alone is enough to praise but I love in Ps. 98:3 that he goes even further. He has “remembered” the people of Israel. The reality that our God is faithful to remember us is a true gift.
  • Psalm 98:4-6, the means of praise is revealed. “Make a joyful noise to the Lord… sing praises to the Lord.” This call to worship is what NYE reminds me of, a true celebration with shouts of joy. The best part is that one day every knee will bow and worship King Jesus.
  • Psalm 98:7-9, the extent of praise to be proclaimed universally. This prophetic Psalm foreshadows the coming of Christ to save the world as a righteous judge.

In this new decade, my prayer is for an eternal perspective grounded on the praise of God. In 2020, I pray my focus would be on the reality of God’s faithfulness, the hope of his return, and the contagious joy I have in my personal relationship with the worthy King. Join me in pausing to reflect and dream in the following categories, how can we worship in these areas in 2020?

  • Spiritual:
    • Quiet time with God
    • Church / serving / tithing
    • Discipleship / mentorship
  • Relational:
    • Friends / Family / Coworkers, etc.
  • Personal:
    • Health, reading, traveling
    • Work, finances, personal growth/education, projects

May we each take time to pause, reflect, and consider how we can sing a “new song” of praise in these categories in 2020 for our God is worthy.

Father help us to enter this new year with an excitement of joyful praise for who you are and what you have done for us though Christ. May we carry this praise throughout the year into every part of our lives. You are faithful, steadfast, righteous, merciful, and have “done marvelous things” that deserve unceasing praise! We love you Lord. Amen

~ Kaitlyn Wurzbach

 

 

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