Today’s scripture: Psalm 33:1-3 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Kevin Konkle):
Happy New You! Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
The holidays are almost over, and one of my favorite times of the year is upon us — New Year’s. Recently I’ve been focused on the incoming New Year, 2014. I am trying to figure out what I need to do for the New Year that was different from the previous year to set me and God’s Kingdom ahead. So I’ve been busy working hard on my set of New Year’s resolutions. Yes, my list includes praying more and eating less, but I felt the Lord nudging me to work on making a new me in this new year. OMG – today is that new year! Happy 2014.
This is why the words “new song” stood out to me in the verse in Psalms 33 in such a powerful way. Every song from the Lord is birthed out of great passion, suffering, blessing, or new direction from the Lord. Songs can do what nothing else can do. Many times when I feel a bit down, there is nothing in this world that can lift me up like one of our praise songs we sing at church coming from heart to God’s ears. A “new song” to me means different from the “old songs”. Which of course implies more than just singing the old hymns, but moving forward and singing contemporary songs too. To me a new song implies our old dreams, priorities, hopes, plans, sins, mistakes, failures and successes are in the past. A new set of challenges and blessings lie ahead. We must move forward with full trust in God.
God is asking each of us to find that “New Song” for our lives in this New Year. God wants us to realign our priorities with what God has for each of us. God wants us to see ourselves, not as the same old person singing the same old sad song, but as a new creation. I encourage each of us to open up our hearts and in this New Year, let us ask God to help us obtain our new song and be made new — whatever that takes! Then prayerfully watch as God does the miraculous; Happy New You!
Thought for the day: How will you discover God’s new song for you?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.