“Jesus laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am…’” Rev. 1:17
Lord Jesus, what do we need on the first day of a new year? We don’t need anything new or novel. We need something really old—“old” as in eternal, with no beginning and no end. “Old,” but more present than our next breath, more fresh than the Spring 2024, more loving than we ever dreamed—and powerful enough to create, sustain, and renew the entire cosmos. Hallelujah, that narrows the field to you, Jesus.
As 2024 begins, our world feels scary, sick—meaner than ever and teetering on self-destruction. Kind of like the world in Martin Luther’s day (1517-ish) when he penned the sentiment we sing, “though this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us…” (from, A “Mighty Fortress Is Our God”). But it’s the same world, demons, and threat the apostle John experienced when you spoke these everything-changing four words to him, “Fear not, I am!”
Jesus, in 2024, we don’t need to fear, we need to sing. We need to believe, trust, and sing with Luther “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing—were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth His Name, from age to age the same, and He must (will) win the battle.”
Jesus, all we will need in 2024 is you and whatever you will and provide. You speak to us exactly what you declared to John and Luther—not “I was” or “I will be”—but “I am!” And what is your “I am”-ness” full of?
“I am the bread of life” (Jn.6:35). “I am the light of the world” (Jn.8:12). “I am the door of the sheep” (Jn.10:7). “I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn.11:25). “I am the good shepherd” (Jn.10:11). “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn.14:6). “I am the true vine” (Jn.15:1). “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” (Rev.1:18). “I am making all things new!” (Rev.21:5). “I am coming soon” (Rev.22:12). Hallelujah, Jesus, many times over. So Very Amen.