Happy Noise Year

I watched video clips of the New Year roll in around the world on the screen. Fireworks, loud music, people screaming, celebrities, confetti—loud celebrations everywhere. Then I thought of Jesus being born in a humble manger quietly ushering in a new era. Such a contrast and so much like God’s way of doing things. So opposite of the loud and brash world that likes to flaunt its power and wealth.

It’s good to recall in this New Year that God is often found in the humble and quiet places among people who seem inconsequential and forgotten in the world. God’s world and His economy are often at odds with the world and its arrogance. In the quiet and humble stable, in a forgotten, insignificant place, that’s where you find the new born king Jesus.

As we move on from Christmas celebrations and into the New Year, remember the humble manger. Seek Jesus in the quiet and the unspoken. Listen for the whisper of the Spirit of God. Nurture a love for God with all your being. Don’t be discouraged by the noise of the world that surrounds you. Be encouraged by God’s eternal word that has spoken to generations of those who seek Him.

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. – Deuteronomy 6:5-6, NASB

“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” – Matthew 5:5