WE. NEED. HIM: HE sees us! & HE loves us! & He hears us!
Today is the sixth day of the new year—the sixth day.
Today is the day when many in the world celebrate the coming of the wise men, the astrologers who had studied the stars for the sign of the Messiah, who traveled from the east, following the star, to find the child. They followed the star, arriving to find the child—Jesus—bringing gifts, bowing down once they saw, and returning another way home because of the warning they were given through the dream.
The sixth day represents so much.
It was on the sixth day the LORD created living creatures:
“Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kind: livestock and crawling things and animals of the earth according to their kind”; and it was so.
(Genesis 1: 24-27 NASB)
God made the animals of the earth according to their kind, and the livestock according to their kind, and everything that crawls on the ground according to its kind; and God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Notice how God the Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit were in the beginning. Also notice how God created the living creatures (animals, birds, & insects) to be like their own kind, but God created mankind “in Our image, according to Our likeness; . . . .” The point being: God is three in one & mankind is different from other living creatures! We are created in God’s image & in God’s likeness. “Our image.” & “Our likeness.” Since humanity was created differently, we have ways and needs and challenges—different—from other living, breathing creatures created by God.
- May we uncover together how: WE. NEED. HIM!
- May we understand how: HE sees us!
- May we always remember how much: HE loves us! &
- May we never forget how: He hears us!
Yes, Today is the sixth day of the new year—the sixth day, and for many, this new year marks the opportunity for writing the wrong year (last year’s number). Yes, many still write one number when writing the year, discover their error, and then attempt to write overtop the wrong number, changing it into the new number associated with the new year. That’s a long sentence to state: It’s a messy affair, changing from an old year to a new year.
Some make new resolutions, naming or writing lists of things they wish to “change” as they step from the “OLD” into the “NEW” year.
- Maybe that describes you and even me.
- Maybe that does not describe us.
Nevertheless, whether we are resolution-setters or not, still the fact remains: ALL PEOPLE (MANKIND) MUST STEP INTO THE DAYS OF A NEW YEAR TOGETHER & WE NEED GOD AS WE DO!
A few weeks ago, when reading the local newspaper, an article caught my attention, one that I saved for the start of the new year. This article provided twenty-three plans the author shared with his readers, plans that spoke of the usage of our time, the simplicity and priorities of life, and the truth that oftentimes, things in life just do not go as we plan.
Therefore, since we are ALL in this together & since life does happen while we are making other plans, there are four things to consider (on this sixth day of the new year) that will make our “stepping into the new year” easier. While it is true: We may not know one another, we will probably agree that none of us enjoy difficult days. Amen.
Moreover, struggles are just plain hard, and mankind would rather adopt things that are easier, more useful, and even more helpful to our daily life.
Thus, we have Scripture to help us. Even the change from one year until the next, through all things, mankind needs God!
While it is true, there are many passages from God’s Word that reveal our need, the one verse written by the Apostle Paul to the believers living in Philippi is the verse chosen for today. Please pause and read with me, and as we do, let us discover God’s Truth about how we should approach our new year.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
(Philippians 4: 6 NASB)
There is a melody titled “Gonna Be Alright” by Ryan Ellis that came to me yesterday during a moment of distress, and through the lyrics, I was reminded of God’s Truth found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Please pause to listen and be blessed by this reminder.
- God is real!
- God does care about us—mankind!
- We know because God created us in His image!
- God hears our cries! &
- God sees our tears!
- God knows our happy moments!
- Once we believe in Jesus and give our heart to Him, It is God who dwells inside us!
- It is God who then fills us, dwelling within us through His Holy Spirit!
That is why ALL PEOPLE, ALL of HUMANITY: WE. NEED. HIM!
So, let us be reminded why we do!
“Do not be anxious about anything, . . .”
In other words: Do NOT Worry. That’s right. Do NOT! God’s got this, whatever our “this” might be because God sees us & God loves us & God hears us!
“but in everything by prayer and pleading . . .”
In other words: PRAY. That’s right. PLEAD THROUGH PRAYER! God expects us to walk in relationship with Him, and we gained this privilege once we received God’s Gift of Salvation. As we walk with God, He Sees what’s going on in our days, in our lives & God loves us unconditionally & God hears us when we talk with Him!
“with thanksgiving, . . .”
This is why we need to Thank God for all that He has done for us!
This is why we need to Thank God for all that He has walked us through!
This is why we need to Thank God for all that He will walk us through during this new year!
“let your requests be made known to God.”
In other words: TELL GOD what you NEED. That’s right. God promises that as we seek Him, he will supply ALL of our needs! It’s a promise from God. Our part within God’s Promise is to trust Him 100%. God never lies (never has and never will because God will not ever do anything against His character) & GOD DOES NOT LIE! That’s why we need to be reminded on this sixth day of the new year—
WE. NEED. HIM! HE sees us! HE loves us! HE hears us!
Life is fragile. Health is not promised, but God’s presence is—Promised.
Life can be a difficult struggle at times. People let us down, situations change, but God’s presence with us is—Promised.
As we walk through the remaining days of this new year, let us remember the Truth found in trusting God in everything!
- We are told in the Bible that God sees our every move, every thought, hears our spoken words, and knows our thoughts.
- We are also told in the Bible how God loves us unconditionally.
- We are told in the Bible that once we become God’s child, He hears us.
In the next verse of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, God’s Word provides us a reminder of the only reason why we should NOT WORRY, why we should PRAY, why we should TELL GOD OUR NEEDS, & why we should THANK GOD FOR ALL HE HAS DONE!
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4: 7 NASB)