2024 in Review ~ A Million Yeses

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in Him it is always Yes.  For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.  That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory.  And it is God Who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and Who has also put His seal on us, and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:19-22

January is inventory time. I started this years ago when money was so tight – raising and feeding five kids is no joke – and yet, somehow at the end of every year I could always say, “Thank You, God, that every bill was paid.” God was, as ever, faithful.  With the passing years my January inventory has expanded from the merely financial to counting all the many blessings, miracles, and answers to prayer over the past year, and, guess what? A million yeses to all my prayers.  A million yeses. In fact, God’s yeses outnumber the “no” and “wait” answers. A million yesses for each no, a million yeses for every wait.  Maybe billions.  Maybe trillions.  These days I thank God for every breath, for every beat – not just of my own heart, but of all the heartbeats of all my loved ones, and all the moments we’ve shared together.  We’re at least in the millions already.  I thank God for our health, for every illness healed and the millions of germs that missed us by God’s grace.  I thank God for shelter, clothing, and food.  How many meals did we share this year?  Every dish washed testifies to full bellies and hunger satisfied.  Bumping up close to another million, including feasts for celebrations, holidays, weddings, retirement parties (a lot more of those these days), and even bereavement dinners after funerals, with bittersweet fellowship in the midst of grief.  Comfort food, healing food.  A million yeses.

And in faith: how many prayer closets were adorned with sweet intimacy with God?  How much deeper our love for Him, our gratitude for salvation?  What new truths moved our hearts closer to God, what paths did the Holy Spirit lead us on in discipleship?  What commandments of Christ were obeyed? How many temptations sidestepped? How many sins forgiven?  How many Sabbaths gave us spiritual and physical rest?  How many worship services blessed us?  How many responses to offering opportunities?  How did we follow Christ into His world and answer His call by doing all the works prepared for us beforehand? How many feet were washed by us?  How many mundane tasks were completed, making life easier, healthier, more comfortable? How many relationships were mended?  How much more precious another year of marriage with a faithful spouse?  How much more thrilling were the opportunities of single saints? How many moments with children, guiding their hearts to their Heavenly Father?  How many hugs and snuggles, bedtime stories, arts and crafts, church activities?  How many new friendships were forged? What new depths of love in our heart’s companions?  How many times did we mentor someone in love, teaching a concept or skill, sharing wisdom for a way forward in a difficult situation?  What new things have we learned or tried?  What Bible studies, hobbies, crafts, music, artwork, exercises, books, or input has filled our minds and our times? What continuing work have we done in our homes, our jobs, our churches, our communities?  How have we seen God work through our contributions to His world? How many miracles made us pause in awe, things we never prayed for and never knew we needed but God graciously provided?  With gratitude for all God has done in the last year, we look to the future with hope. And if we are completely obedient, the yeses increase, the no’s decrease, and the waits get shorter. Many more millions of yeses. 

Share this New Year’s prayer with me: Eternal God, I thank You and celebrate the millions, trillions, billions of blessings You have given me in 2024. Let your love fill me, Your peace anchor me, Your joy consume me. For 2025 let me trust that every prayer I pray has already been heard, treasured up in Your heart, and open my eyes every day to the million yeses of Your blessings. Thank You for your eternal faithfulness, Father God.  I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

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