Our family has had some pretty epic New Year’s Eve celebrations, especially during our children’s teen years – All night long parties being surrounded by friends and family – games, snacking on food normally reserved for special occasions, horns, noisemakers, fireworks, staying up all night, continuing the celebrations with New Year’s Day breakfasts.
But one December 31st stands out in my mind and I find it hard to believe that it was almost 25 years ago. We were one of those caught up in preparing for Y2K. For the young among us, Y2K only means, “Year 2000.” For almost 3 years, my family held to the idea that Y2K – year 2000 – would usher in a time when the computers in the world would not know how to deal with the number 2000 and systems run by computers would crash. This included anything and everything run by computers: transportation, the electrical grid, supply chains, cars, banking systems, etc. We were consumed with preparing in the best way we thought possible, stockpiling supplies – food, paper products, a generator, coats, socks, etc. Looking back on those years of preparation, I obviously can see our desire for control was an illusion. When midnight came and went on the other side of the globe, it was glaringly obvious that the computers were well equipped to handle January 1st, 2000. Our perception that we were in control was actually a monumental reaction to a fear of the unknown and an unseen future.
Here is another January 1st, and we can wonder what our world will be like in 2022. How many of us thought we would still be discussing a worldwide pandemic encompassing so many aspects of our lives? Education, health, economics, politics, family relationships. And just like the attention the world gave Y2K, there is the spirit of fear alive today.
“Fear not!” is the most repeated command in the Bible. In fact, it has been said there are 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible – one for every day of the year! Psalm 27 is one of the most beautiful reminders of ‘fear not’ and I can and should look at all my life’s situations in the light of His Word:
The LORD is my light and my salvation: Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
We CAN have confidence He will protect us, and we CAN possess His light to overcome darkness.
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
“Waiting” on God lets me know I am not alone in my journey. God is MY refuge, MY strength, MY light, MY salvation, – of whom or what shall I be afraid? No matter what 2022 brings, I am reminded that all battles belong to God and God alone. May this New Year bring a greater trust in our God who saves, redeems, restores, and always provides.
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