Regardless of how your year started and ended, it’s a new year and it’s time to move forward. Having so much chaos around us for a while, allow me to offer a reminder about how we move forward. The temptation will arise to muscle through or gut it out. The past couple of years have been rough for so many people in so many ways. Relying upon our own strength can’t get us far. Instead of trying to survive by our own wit and effort, there is a better way.
Psalms 120–134 are the songs of ascent. The city of Jerusalem sits on top of a hill. The psalms were sung by Jews as they made the pilgrimage up to that great city. They describe the greatness of God and the constant care He shows to the people of God. As you look ahead to this new year, take a moment to consider just one of these songs.
Psalm 121 recounts how God is present to help those who seek Him. It’s not a promise to the spiritually apathetic. It promises that those who will turn to the Lord will find a hope that is beyond all for which they could hope.
The opening declaration of the psalm states: “I will lift up my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (vv. 1-2). Our first challenge in this year is deciding where we will put our faith. We may be smart, witty, resourceful, and strong, but none of us are enough of any of these things or have all of the other things necessary to thrive spiritually. We need God’s help now, later, constantly, and exclusively.
Everything in the world is going to clamor for your attention. Your flesh will tell you that it has enough strength. Culture will tell you to just rely on its systems to deliver safety and satisfaction. The devil will whisper lies to you that giving up all hope is OK. But we can lift our eyes above all of these enticements. Why? Because they’ve never made a single thing better. The flesh, the world, and the devil only ruin. It’s the Lord who creates, sustains, and purifies.
"As the world rages around you, trust in the Lord. He loves you and watches over you."
In this new year, we can shrug off the temptations to allow our moody dispositions to have their own way. We can look toward our Lord, the self-existent Creator, as the single source of our hope and help.
The psalmist goes on to say about the Lord, “He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber” (v. 3). One of the many lessons learned from the past couple of years is that you never know what is coming next. But not a single event takes God by surprise. He has more than a thorough knowledge of all things. He is thoroughly involved in our lives and the events of the world. God’s immovability is passed along to us. In another song of ascent, the people sang: “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it remains forever” (Ps. 125:1)
Our God never takes a break from ruling creation. He never takes a respite from caring for His people. The One we look to for help is ever vigilant and fully concerned with you, His child.
God doesn’t sleep because it’s His nature. The Lord has no need to nap. He’s always in control. Knowing that, we can look to Him for our help. His attention to our lives is further revealed later in Psalm 121. In verse seven, the psalmist wrote: “The LORD will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life.” While the world rages on, the Lord protects you. His protection is stalwart. As the world rages around you, trust in the Lord. He loves you and watches over you.