27“These wicked people are heavy and prosperous;
their waists bulge with fat.
28But their cities will be ruined.
They will live in abandoned houses
that are ready to tumble down.
29Their riches will not last,
and their wealth will not endure.
Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon.” (Job 15:27-29)
Happy New Year’s Eve. Tonight 2023 comes to a close, but it is not the closure the world needs. Of course, for America’s little bubble, 2023 really was not that bad (despite what Fox News will try to make you think). If we could stop fighting amongst each other and start working to fix our problems, who knows what America could truly accomplish. But we continue to be too worried about what political party we vote for instead of voting people out who continue to fail at producing results. America continues to be one of the most prosperous nations in the world. But the verses above are a stark reminder of how fragile that prosperity can be if we can not put the mission of Christ back to the center of our great nation.
This world is at war, probably the worst brutality we have seen since the end of the Vietnam world. Ukraine’s war against Russia has reverted to horrific trench warfare; where young men are being slaughtered by drones and machine guns that have vastly improved their lethality since the last time military forces have fought using the primitive defensive strategy of digging trenches. And then the world sits idly by as Israel commits the genocide of the Palestinian people. At this rate, the UN just needs to be dissolved. They have proved to be utterly useless in preventing mass murder.
2023 races to a solemn close tonight. But when midnight hits and January 1st begins, nothing will change. Young men in Eastern Europe will continue to be ruthlessly killed for no reason other than a mad dictator’s jaded desire to extend his country’s borders. Innocent women and babies will continue to be slaughtered in Israel’s quest to root out Hamas. The hungry around the world will remain hungry. The poor will continue to struggle. The widow will sit alone and invisible. The orphan will still be unloved and cast aside. So, yeah, I think it is a fair statement to say we are greatly failing at living the mission set by Jesus almost 2,000 years ago. And I ask myself, how much longer will we have to wait? How much longer do we have to endure all this evil before Jesus returns? I pray 2024 is the year of our Savior’s glorious second coming, but I know it will not be. Instead, I fear, it will continue to get worse, because that is what the prophecies predict. So buckle up America, here’s to 2024.
There is hope for a better tomorrow. There is always hope, but that can only come if we truly walk in the Way of Christ. If you do not know what that walk looks like, read the paragraph above and see what matters most to Jesus. The hungry, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the lost, the lonely. What can you do in 2024 to help those that are truly suffering?
For the last three years of running this blog, I have shared my favorite albums and songs from the past 52-weeks. This year, I was unfortunately too busy entertaining these younger soldiers to carve some time out of my day to put together any countdown posts. But below are MY favorite albums of the year, and the top five songs that really helped lift up my spirits. While I could write a paragraph of praise for each of these albums/singles, I have run out of time. I invite you to click the links below to fill your day with some amazing CCM/Worship music and wrap up 2023 with the boldness to “Dare to Hope”! God bless you all!
My favorite albums of 2023:
“My Story, Your Glory” Matthew West
“Can You Imagine?” Elevation Worship
“Jesus Changed My Life” Katy Nichole
“Coat of Many Colors” Brandon Lake
My favorite songs of 2023:
“You Changed My Name” Matthew West
“Back to Life” Bethel Worship, Zahriya Zachary
“Tear Off the Roof” Brandon Lake
“Dare To Hope” Sanctus Real
Common Sense Reborn 