Joy in 2024!

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive that your joy may be full. John 16:24

It is hard for me to believe, but the Christmas cards have all been sent and received, the hectic shopping is over, the packages have been opened, the carols have been sung, the meals have been consumned, and it is time to welcome a brand new year. The year of our Lord Twenty Thousand and Twenty Four is here whether we are ready or not!

During the height of the celebration where the candles are lit, the hymns are being sung, and the night is peaceful and full of love, it is easy to experience the joy that Christmas brings. Then, the lights come on again, the hymns fade away, and the reality of a new year hits us. What will it bring? How will we handle all that’s before us? How can we keep the joy in 2024?

When Handel wrote the Hallelujah Chorus, he did so with failing eyesight and the threat of dying in a debtors’ prison because of the mountain of outstanding bills. When he was aked later how he was able to complete his masterpiece, he credited one thing – joy! He said that he felt he would “burst with joy” at what he was hearing in his mind and heart. His work ended up being a cherished tradition and also a means for raising money for the poor and destitute. The joy of the Lord is our strength in 2024.

Embarking on a new year is much like the thought of entering a new and unexplored land. We just don’t know what lies ahead. As we enter the new year, there is a scripture which describes best what we should stand upon this year. “The land which you go to is not like the land from which you have come. The land which you cross over to possess is a land of hlls and valleys which drinks water from the rain of heaven. A land for which the Lord your God cares. The eyes of the Lord are always on it from the beginning to the very end of the year.” Deuteronomy 11:12

The beginning of a new year always hits me hardest when I pack up all the special Christmas things that hold so many memories and put them away for another year. I find myself smiling and remembering the sweet combined with the sad because in retrospect I can see God’s hand in it all.

When I was growing up in UMYF at our hometown church, one of the favorite songs was I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Down in my heart. Down in my heart. I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart to stay. I find myself singing it at different times of the day, and it does bring joy! The joy of a new year might seem elusive at this point, but we don’t have to dread what lies ahead. This year we can open our hearts to experience God’s love, mercy, faithfulness, goodness, and favor in our lives.

This year can be a year of stress, sorrow and struggle, or it can be a year of God given success, self worth, and growth. This year just like every year, God cares and is faithful, and as Jeremiah says, His mercies are new each morning. The Bible says it best, The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Happy New Year! Let’s keep the joy in 2024!