2012: New Year, Same God.

Evergreens: plants having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year. (You’ll get it once you’re finished reading.)

Two Thousand and Eleven

Did you experience any changes in 2011? Maybe a change in your friendships, your church,  your family, your health, your relationship status, your education,  your job, and so on. Perhaps you lost a loved one or underwent a personal change in your heart. Some of those changes may have been a blessing.  Still, some may have felt painful or challenging. In the midst of those various changes and struggles, what was God to you?

As I look back over the past year, contemplating the changes that have happened in my life,  what would my answer be? God was faithful. Now, of course, He was many other things to me, such as gracious, comforting, convicting, kind, etc.,  but His faithfulness is what has struck me the most this past year and is what I believe we all have experienced, even if you haven’t realized it.  How can I say this for sure? Because God says it in His word many times. For example, Psalm 89:24 says:

“My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him…”

and Psalm 100:5 says:

“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Now that we’ve established that God is faithful,  lets look at some definitions of “faithful”  (from Dictionary.com hehe):

1. true to one’s word, promises, vows, etc.
2. steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant
3. reliable, trusted, or believed

The two words I want to focus on are “constant” and “reliable”.  In the changes you experienced over the past year, did God ever change? Did God ever fail you when it seemed like all else had?  The answer should be a resounding “No!”

Two Thousand and Twelve… and Beyond!

So hopefully you can begin to recount God’s faithfulness to you in 2011 (if you haven’t already). But what about this year? 2012 has just begun, and if you’re like me, you may be uncertain about what lies ahead. Maybe you have a difficult semester of school ahead, or maybe you’re worried about some decisions you’ll have to make in the near future, or perhaps you’re going through a dry season, or maybe you’re aware of your weaknesses and your need for God’s grace and strength for where He has you right now or in the future.

Whatever situation you may be in, is it possible that God could be just as faithful, reliable and constant to you this year as He was in the past? According to Hebrews 13:8:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Do you know what this means!? This means that the same God that got you through 2011, will get you through 2012, and the next year and the next year and the next year. This means that though changes in your life are inevitable and will bring with them highs and lows and ups and downs, God is constant! He never changes.  He stays the same. Like an Evergreen tree. I find this to be SUCH a comfort because even though I’m unsure about what 2012 holds, I know that I can be confident in God’s faithfulness, which I’ve already experienced through Jesus Christ. So take heart and be encouraged! God promises to never leave you nor forsake you. For even when “we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13)

As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:7-9, my prayer is that you all would not be

“lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

And lastly, I pray that we would all rejoice and rest in the security of God’s unchanging character.

In the words of David:

“Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!…Give thanks to the Lord…Sing to him a new song…For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.”

Happy New Year, everyone!!!