Thought for January 4, 2024

•  1754: Columbia University founded as King College
• 1847: Samuel Colt sells his first revolver to the U.S.
• 1853: Solomon Northrup regains his freedom, "Twelve Years a Slave"
• 1885: First appendectomy performed in the U.S.
• 1936: BillBoard publishes its first "Hit Parade"
• 1947: Peter Marshall elected chaplain of the Senate--"A Man Called Peter"
• 1965: LBJ gives "Great Society" State of the Union speech
• 1995: Newt Gingrich elected Speaker of the House
• 2007: Nancy Pelosi becomes first female Speaker of the House
• Born: Jacob Grimm, Louis Braille, Don Shula, Floyd Patterson, Dyan Cannon, Patty Loveless, Julia Ormond, David Toms, Garrison Hearst, Derrick Henry
• Died: Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton [first American born "saint" and founder of American Sisters of Charity], Cornelius Vanderbilt, Albert CAmus, TS Eliot, Iron Eyes Cody, Les Brown, Stuart Scott

Thought:

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm looking at the word "new" as I start a new year. Most of the usages of the word new are connected to "new wine" or "new moons". But there are quite a few other uses that may help me as I begin 2024. Yesterday, I wrote about being careful of new gods that sneak into our lives. One way of guarding against new gods is to sing praise to the true God. Several times in scripture we are invited to sing a new song to the Lord. 

The Psalms tell us to sing a new song at least 5 times. 

• Psalm 33:3 tells us to sing to Him a new song. Look at the contents of this new song. 
• We sing with joy to the Lord [33:1]
• We sing with praise and thanksgiving [33:1-2] We thank Him for His word [33:4], His faithfulness [33:4], His lovingkindness [33:5]. 
• We praise His power of creation [33:6-9]
• We praise Him for choosing us in Christ [33:12]
• We praise Him for His omnipresence and omniscience. [33:13-15]
• We praise Him as our hope and shield--He is our hope [33:20-22]
• Psalm 40:3 tells us the source of our new song--He puts the words of praise in my mouth.
• Psalm 96:1 tells us who to sing our new song to---first to the Lord Himself in gratitude and praise. And then to the nations--we sing our new song of praise so that the world hears that He alone is worthy of praise, glory and honor.
• Psalm 98 tells us to sing a new song for the wonderful things God has done, especially His salvation in the person of Christ the King who will come to judge the world with righteousness.
• Psalm 149:1 tells us to sing a new song together in the congregation. I love congregational singing--voices joined in praise giving us a foretaste of that day when we will gather at the throne and sing worthy is the Lamb.
• Isaiah 42:10 tells us to sing a new song throughout the earth telling everyone that He will defeat His enemies [42:13]
• Revelation 5:9 tells us that a new song will be sung when Jesus takes the book---praise Him for He is worthy because He purchased our freedom with His own blood.

How can I avoid false gods, daily sing a new song to the Lord--in our songs we are reminded of His greatness, His love, His grace, His mercy---who else is worthy of such praise--only Jesus the Christ. As most of you know, I am often singing an old song--hymns of our fathers and mothers. But like the word, these old songs are new every day because they speak to me where I am. In any event--singing His praises keeps us from following new gods. So let's sing. 

Blessings

Larry