The Year of Our Lord

A word of encouragement for the New Year
Dr. John P. Williams, Jr., General Superintendent

Not long ago, I came across this headline in a national magazine:

This is not another column about Y2K. Really.

This is a confession of fatigue... over chronology, computers and glitch-anxiety. This is a search for tomorrow... A statement of faith... A renewal of confidence.

Because in all this fanfare about the year 2000, I find one thing curiously absent: the recognition that, unlike us, God does not depend on our calendar. He never will, hallelujah!

His promises are fulfilled "in his time" - which he tends to describe in terms that are more qualitative than quantitative. Terms like..

...due season
...fullness of time
...ripeness
...and completion.gb

He wants us to be wise, to prepare for ministry to others should catastrophes come, to care for our families, to take care of our bodies.

But even more, the Lord seems to care about keeping his promises to us and about growing a people whose very lives revolve about living out those promises.

Here, then, are 12 of God's most powerful and blessed promises to live by in this New Year of 2000 Anno Domini - which literally means, "In the Year of Our Lord." (I thought about listing a full 2000 promises but decided you might have something to do this year, other than read this piece.) These 12 blessed promises are listed in order, from Old to New Testament, and several were nominated by others when I asked them for their favorites. Each of the 12 convey our Lord's love and purpose for us.

To make his promise-giving ultimately personal, God's word declares:

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' and 'Amen' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Cor. 1: 20)

No wonder we call this, "The Year of Our Lord."

12 of God's most powerful and blessed promises to live by in this New Year of 2000

1. Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. (Genesis 15:1b)
2. ...and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you obeyed me. (Genesis 22:18)
3. ... and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. (Exodus 12:3b)
4. ...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
5. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
6. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 12:19)
7. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b)
8. Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' (John 11:26)
9. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Cor. 10:13)
10. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)
11. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
12. He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)