Thought for January 1, 2024

•  45 BC: Julian Calendar becomes effective
• 630: Muhammad sets out for Mecca
• 1519: Swiss Reformation begins as Huldrych Zwingli becomes priest of Zurich and begins preaching through the Bible. I visited his church in Zurich last Spetember.
• 1660: First entry in Samuel Pepys' diary
• 1700: Most of Europe begins using the Gregorian calendar
• 1724: Daniel Fahrenheit proposes a temperature scale
• 1801: United Kingdom forms
• 1802: Thomas Jefferson responds to a letter from the Danbury Baptist Association expressing concern about being forced to belong to a State established church. Jefferson replies, "there is a wall of separation between Church and State."
• 1818: Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" published
• 1847: Michigan is first state to abolish capital punishment
• 1863: The Emancipation Proclamation
• 1880: Construction of Panama Canal begins
• 1890: First Rose Parade
• 1892: Ellis Island opens
• 1896: Rontgen announces discovery of x-rays
• 1916: First blood transfusion using stored, cooled blood
• 1934: Alcatraz becomes a federal prison
• 1962: Navy Seals established
• 1985: First mandatory seat belt law in US--NY
• 1999: Euro introduced
• Born: Edmund Burke, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, Alfred Stieglitz, E.M. Forster, Barney Stanley [Lord Stanley's Cup], J Edgar Hoover, Barry Goldwater, J.D. Salinger, Rocky Graziano, Doak Walker, Christine Lagarde
• Died: Hank Williams, Maurice Chevalier, Cesar Romero, Helen Wills Moody [19 tennis Grand Slam titles], Patti Page, Mario Cuomo, Donna Douglas, David Stern, Don Larsen

Thought:

Welcome to a New Year. What will your word be for the New Year? On January 1, 1863, Frederick Douglas and a crowd of about 3,000 gathered at the Tremont Baptist Temple in Boston. The crowd gathered because this was the day they expected Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Most of this crowd was black and they met with doubt and fear. Many thought they would never see this day. For most, the promise of this day would be an answered prayer. It was expected that Lincoln would sign at 8:00 a.m. and then wires would be sent out across the nation. The crowd did not know that Lincoln had made a small change in the Proclamation and he had to wait for the correction to be made before signing. 

As the hours past, the crowd became anxious. Doubt spread. Was the wire coming? Had the President signed? Were the slaves free? Doubt turned to disappointment and anger. Finally, a man pushes his way through the crowd and shouted--"It's coming!" The atmosphere immediately changed to weeping, praying, shouting, singing, rejoicing. A preacher began leading the crowd in a spiritual, "Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea, Jehovah has triumphed, His people are free!" 

Down the street at the Boston Music Hall, another crowd received the news with music--"The Star Spangled Banner," "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," Beethoven. Then the music of Handel began as the crowd sang the "Hallelujah Chorus." "Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!"

Now think about the start of a New Year. We have certainly seen a 2023 filled with wars, mass shootings, natural disasters, divisions and strife among our people. We have faced illness, disease, death. We have dealt with broken marriages, broken relationships within families and even disagreement and division with the body of Christ. Yet, here we are. The Lord has given another fresh start. Another opportunity to walk in His light and be His light. 

So maybe my word for 2024 will be "Hallelujah! The Lord God still reigns" He is still on His throne. He still extends mercy and grace. And I look forward to the day when like that crowd gathered in Boston said--He is coming! and when He does--we will be free at last!

Blessings

Larry