Chins Up

By Pastor Eric

As we venture into the new year, it can be a challenge to lean forward into 2025 without a bit of uncertainty, question, doubts, and anxiousness about our world and the current direction of things. With wars around the globe, political tensions felt on all continents, a change of power in the US, injustices worldwide, racism, hate, poverty, and so much more……it can be difficult to have a positive outlook of hope and peace. Although we shouldn’t be surprised that the world is behaving like the world will and does (2 Timothy 3:1-17), it makes it that much more difficult to keep our “chins up.” 

As Christ-followers we have to be very careful not to get caught up in social media, the unreliable sources of news, hearsay, gossip, and misinformation that continues to fuel and spread fear. I am not saying that we shouldn’t stay informed, but that we need to be mindful and wise about what we believe and hold onto as our truth. Lies and half lies of any kind are the doing of the devil for the sole purposes of tearing down, killing, and devouring the world. We must be “sober minded and on alert” at all times.

As Christ-followers moving into another year, our focus needs to be on and remain in the source of all that is true, Jesus Christ. We must put our trust in him, find our strength to endure in him, seek our wisdom in him, navigate the world by listening to him, find peace and hope in him, and see the world for what it is through him. Throughout history God has been faithful, trustworthy, and he provides all we need to stand firm in this world…..in all years, old and new!

Reading through 1 Kings, I am reminded of that provision and faithfulness in chapter 17 as God directs the widow to look after the needs of Elijah. Wanting to obey the Lord but lacking the resources to tend to Elijah’s needs, she cries out “I don’t have any bread-only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug.” In fact, she was so desperate that she didn’t even have enough for herself and her children, let alone for Elijha. Death was all she could see in their future. But, “This is what the Lord, the god of Israel says, ‘the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug will not run dry until the Lord sends rain on the land.’” The widow was not only able to take care of Elijah and her family but God blessed her with an abundance of supplies. The Lord would even bring back her dead son at the end of the chapter providing all that she needed and more! “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence” Jeremiah 17:7.

Throughout history, humanity has seen the bleak and hopeless ebbs and flows of uncertainty and hopelessness. Each year brings a new set of concerns and worries, and with it, fear for the future. Each new year the world continues to do what the world does and we shouldn’t be shocked or surprised.

Brothers and sisters…..as we enter into the new year of 2025 we have to look beyond the world, surrendering our future, hope, peace, and certainty to the one who never changes, who is always faithful, who provides more than we need, who sits on his throne this very day, has conquered death, and promises to return….Jesus Christ! He must be our hope and our confidence as we move into the new year and in all years to come! As we do, it is my prayer that the world would see this in us and in the Church,  revealing the grace, power, hope, and assurance that is only found in our Lord and our God, the creator of all things! Chins up….faith out!

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.”  Romans 11:36