This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ~Matthew 6:9-10
Happy New Year, my friends! Now that the holiday celebrations are behind us, I pray for all goodness, mercy and blessings to greet you in 2024. It will, no doubt, be a roller coaster of a ride for many of us as we look toward the impending presidential election and its outcome. Rest assured, this self-proclaimed news junkie will be glued to every nuance and turn of events as the year unfolds.
Yes, there will be predictions and pontifications galore by pundits and reporters, but I'm choosing to take these with a grain of salt. As the old saying goes: "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." And smart as any of us think we are, we cannot predict the future with absolute certainty.
Why?
Because the future is in God's wheelhouse, not ours.
So, what is it about our human nature that tries to trick us into thinking we're the ones in control? Wouldn't it make more sense to live each day confident that God is large and in charge? How free of worry and anxiety would we be if each morning, when we rise, we completely surrender to God's will, assured that He will see us through?
In the title and this preceding paragraph is my Word for the Year. Can you see it? You're right! It's SURRENDER!
God did not create us to be constant fretters and worriers, but instead, to lay all our cares and troubles at the feet of Jesus. Life is too short to allow the "what-ifs" and "if onlys" to clutter our hearts and minds. That just robs us of the precious communion we are invited to enjoy in our daily walk with the Lord.
So, with complete trust and hope in the One who keeps His promises, I vow to surrender, to submit, to God's ways, and will do so every day of this year and beyond. A surrendered life is an abundant life!
I'm all in!
What about you?
Amen!
You have an election coming up as we have one as well, I only hope who ever gets in is a good person who does not try to deceve us
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Billy! We desperately need Godly leaders who have integrity and honor.
DeleteLove and blessings!
This is a great message and very true! God bless you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mrs. White!
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a wonderful message for the New Year. Thank you, Martha. We pray this is a better year than the past one.
ReplyDeleteGod bless always.
Amen, Victor! May this be the year we surrender to God's will, not our own.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Happy New Year, Martha. The state of the world is such that we are thankful to know the end of the story.
ReplyDeleteYes, Glynn, very thankful, indeed!
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Amen and thank you. I needed to hear this and be reminded today. As a news junkie and worrier, I care very much about our country and about all people. I don't know how people without faith do it in times like these! Aloha.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how they do it either, Cloudia. As Glynn mentioned above, knowing how God's story ends gives us all the inner peace we need to hold strong in the face of adversity.
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a great word! And yes God is all knowing. Praying for an awakening within our country!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Blessings!
Lulu
I pray for the same, Lulu, that's for sure.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Oh, I love that word... surrender. Not out of fear, but out of trust. A great word for the year. Mine is 'expand'.
ReplyDeleteNever out of fear, Marja, but in complete trust in the One who keeps His promises. I love your word, too!
DeleteLove and blessings!
That's a wonderful word to focus on, Martha. Such peace and contentment result from surrender. Why do we ever fight against it?!
ReplyDeleteWhy do we fight against something so perfect ever, Nancy? I think it's our frail human nature at work when it should be laid to rest. I'm so glad this word chose me!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Dearest Martha Jane,
ReplyDeleteMore than surrender, we must pray to God that he will protect the Good against the Evil.
Satan is working overtime in this world...
But let those with high morals once again become our true leaders!
Hugs,
Mariette
Amen to that, Mariette! Let the Godly prevail in all aspects of our world.
DeleteLove and blessings!
✝️
DeleteWonderful kickoff for New Year's, Martha. You can be assured that Diane and I will be right there with you in the matter of keeping in touch--not as anxiety junkies, but as responsible followers of Jesus who know that part of praying against the evil and pushing back where we can demands knowing where the attacks are coming from and what weapons are being deployed against us. It's great to see you back in action and sharing the gifts God has bestowed on you. Thanks for today's encouraging and inspirational message.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Ron, for your kind words and encouragement here. I truly believe that in surrendering our will to God, He will give us the wisdom and knowledge we so desperately need to call evil out for what it is and stand by His eternal truths. Thanks for joining me in the New Year!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thank you for sharing your 2024 word, Martha. Such a needed action for every moment of our lives. Not our way, Lord, but Yours. Not our will, Lord, but Yours. Love and blessings in 2024!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Trudy - not our ways but God's ways should rule each day of our lives and everything we say or do.
DeleteLove and blessings!
A wonderful post
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jo-Anne!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Wonderful Word!!! And I love that song, "I Surrender All". I remember singing that many times in my lifetime, and have had to sing it again when I really wasn't fully surrendered! I will be praying for you as you seek to surrender to God's leading and direction in every area of your life. It is a big quest, but with God's help, it is possible. I look forward to hearing how God is going to be using this in your life this year. And yes, the election is a big deal this year. We are praying for GOD's will to be done, and trust that HE is in control no matter what! I don't intend to be quite as much the "news junkie" like you stated...I get too stressed over the news because it is always so negative and never quite truthful, so I find I am much healthier if I stay away from it except for the necessities. But I still can pray and ask God to lead our nation back to HIM. Prayer is the biggest part we can play (and VOTE, of course!). God bless you dear friend, and God bless America once again!! Amen.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Pamela, for your amazing encouragement here. Yes, we can all pray for our nation and for God's will to be done in all of this current mess. It is because I know God is in control that I can even watch the news in the first place - I don't blame you for keeping your distance from the media precisely because they often don't tell the truth, or tell a partial version of the story.
DeleteI'm so glad you liked the word I chose, too.
Love and blessings!
Yes, I'm a fretter ... a control freak, even. Of course, you're right; I need to let go of the steering wheel and surrender. And turn off the (televised) talking heads. I look forward to following in your footsteps this year!
ReplyDeleteOh, Myra, I'm so thrilled and honored to hear that you want to follow in the footsteps I've outlined here. Humbled, too! Just the moment you start fretting, maybe you could think of the song, "Jesus, Take the Wheel"? Would that help?
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha Jane: I love your word choice. It was on my list of possible words. I believe this practice of choosing a word each year has helped me grow closer to Jesus, It doesn't get any better than that. Peace and blessings to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteChoosing a word for the year has done the same for me, Cecelia. I really feel it does help us grow closer to the Lord if we put our word at the head of our daily list of to-dos. I'm not surprised the word surrender was also on your initial list, though I love that you chose forgiveness; that' critical, too!
DeleteLove and blessings!
'Surrender' - great word! Surrender to God who controls the world - I like that. I'm in. Hugs and blessings!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to know you are all in, Duta! After all, what could be more empowering than to surrender to the God who is control of all?
DeleteLove and blessings!
Yes, indeed!! I have surrendered. God is in control. A beautiful post and a perfect word! xo
ReplyDeleteYes, Terri, you have testified many times to God's ultimate control in many of your blog posts. You are absolutely spot on! And, I must agree that this is the perfect word for me this year.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Hi Martha, saw your comment in Cheryl's blog so knew it was your word for 2024... I thought of the John3.30 prayer I pray each morning, He must increase, I must decrease... John the Baptists goal in service.
ReplyDeleteThis idea of having a word for year is new to me only met it in blogland.
I think its really growing in grace needs our daily goal aka 1 Pete r 3:18 I think it is .. this is first prayer of day for a very long time decades.. my spiritual birthday of 58yrs was on 4th Jan I'd say I've prayed this 30 ++ of those years.
Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our LORD and Savioir, Jesus Christ, to God be the glory, Amen.
Thanks for sharing, and may God bless you and keep you and all whom you love safe and well for 2024!
My goal is to blog once a month in 2024 so better do a draft up in next day or so. Will pray re it.
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Shaz, I truly do enjoy your blogs and gain so much spiritual insight when I read them. You are doing God's will, my friend. The Word cannot be spread unless we take action.
ReplyDeleteYes, we must decrease and allow the Lord to increase, always and everywhere, to His glory. It is the reason why we are here. Keep writing!
Love and blessings!
What have you beautifully expressed this! I struggle a bit with "surrender," and with: which path should I take. But even that is in His hands. I wish you many good moments with God and a peaceful surrender in 2024
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words here, Aritha. May we all learn how to peacefully surrender to God's will.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Happy New Year to you and Mr. Danny my friends. I pray that 2024 is filled with peaceful moments, lots of time with family, and a sense of adventure that awaits you around every twist and turn. Oh, and let's try to take care of those clean, smoke-free lungs this year and don't be getting sick on us any more. :-) God's blessings my friends.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, J. D.! No, the last thing I want to do is get sick again, so am doing everything I can to be proactive. Wishing you and Ms. Diane a safe and happy new year, too!
DeleteLove and blessings!
God controls all, we just have to let go and believe. It's sounds so simple yet we find ways to complicate it. Thanks so much for the positive message.
ReplyDeleteWe humans do have a way of complicating things, Bill, I totally agree. I hope this word of the year will help me to keep my worship simple and honest.
DeleteLove and blessings!
What an excellent New Year's message!
ReplyDeleteI really needed to hear that.
Thanks for the reminder, Martha.
Hugs and blessings
Thank you, Veronica, for your kind words here. I'm glad the message resonated with you.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I can remember singing that song as a young 'un. The lyrics are still haunting many years later. My theme for 2024 is "Run with the Horses" from Jer. 12:5. It relies on surrender to the ONE who controls it all and give us the strength to run strong. My daily prayer is to surrender to Him.
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike, Bill! May we all surrender our selves and wills to the One who knows what's best for us in every way.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Hey Martha, I love your word, surrender, for this year. There's no better time than to let God do His job as God. I liked how you said, "Because the future is in God's wheelhouse, not ours." Thank goodness! Happy New Year! Karen Friday
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Karen, for your gracious words here today! Like you, I'm so very grateful that God is in control, not me. We both trust Him to take the wheel, don't we?
DeleteLove and blessings!
Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteQue mensagem edificante, gratidão pelas palavras de bênçãos. Rendição e submissão durante todo o ano, feliz 2024, o Senhor continue usando tua vida, um forte abraço.
I'm so glad you found this message uplifting, Lucinalva. May God use both of our lives for His glory and honor.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Obrigada por compartilhar esse louvor, é simplesmente lindo, abraços.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteLove and blessings!
thecontemplativecat here. God is in charge! the world can't see His work, what He has prepared for us.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Susan! God is most certainly large and in charge, and I, for one, am so grateful for that.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, I find such assurance in peace in knowing that the future is in God's hands. Recent years have found me keeping tabs on the news but not getting swept up in the drama and trauma of it all. The political scene brought too much anxiety, frustration, and disbelief. I'm learning to trust Him ... He knows the end of the story. Such a comfort!
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Linda. If the drama of life is too much of a balancing act, we need to step back and allow God to help us refocus on Him, confident that He will act. Yes, he does know the end of the story.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I agree with all my heart Martha! God's plan will stand, and we can't figure it out, until it happens. His will shall prevail! No matter how things happen though, we are safe in His care - that brings me hope! Love the beautiful song, I Surrender All!
ReplyDeleteI love that song, too, Marilyn. And knowing that God is in ultimate control allows me to have hope in today and in the future. He is the only One who never breaks His promises.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Great reminders to simply trust in God. Sometimes little things worry me more after going through the cancer, but God knows my future and it's in His hands. It was a difficult year but a year of blessings as well as I was surrounded by so many caring people and I'm not sure what God has for me this year, but I feel like there are good things in store. Happy 2024 to you and yours! Thanks for the encouraging post
ReplyDeleteOh, Cheryl, you have certainly been through the wringer, my friend, but I feel you will be confident in what God has in store for you in the future. When we can see the blessings in the midst of trials, we are blessed indeed!
DeleteHappy 2024 to you and yours, too!
Love and blessings!
Your blog posts don't seem to be coming to my Feedly account and I can't find a way to add you.
ReplyDeleteAre you on Blogger, Debby? If you look at my post, you can see a group of faces and a button that says "follow." Click on that if you're on Blogger. If not, there is a Follow Me button at the top right hand corner of the page. Give that a try!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Happy belated new year to you and Danny, dear Martha! God bless you both in 2024!
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