We read in Psalm 50:14, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.”  In other words, make a big deal out of the work and the miracles that God performs in your life.  Show the world that you are grateful and appreciative to the Lord of the universe for what He has done in your life.  We tend to shy away from making a big deal out of our own personal accomplishments (which by the way we can only do through the strength and abilities God gives us) and this is a good thing.  If we were constantly bragging up ourselves, we would soon discover that no one would want to be around us for very long.  But this verse gives us the liberty to brag as much as we want on the Creator God and His astounding faithfulness.

As we begin another new year, it affords us the chance to reflect back on 2010 and give thanks to God for all He did.  Most likely, the past year presented new challenges and circumstances unlike anything you’ve ever faced before (this time last year, Steph and I were not planning on having twins).  What is unchanging, however, is God’s faithfulness and sustaining grace through it all.  Truly, we can bring a sacrifice of thanksgiving to our great God and King for all He has done this past year.  While we don’t know what 2011 holds for us, we can know (with absolute certainty!) that God will be faithful and bring us through both the highs and the lows of this year.  Please don’t miss the opportunity to praise and thank God for what He did this past year in our midst.

Along with reflecting back on the goodness of God, a new year also gives us the chance to look forward with great anticipation.  What will God do this year?  What miracles will He perform in our lives?  Obviously, we won’t know the answer to that question until this time next year, but we do know that we must step out in faith.  If we are going to expect great things of God, then we must put our lives in His hands and live by faith.  Don’t be afraid to ask God to do what you know is humanly impossible, but make sure to give God the glory when He does move mountains and perform mighty miracles.  Perhaps our prayer for 2011 should that we might live in the realm of “faith” and not “unbelief.”  Faith is all about what God can do; unbelief is all about what we can do in our own strength and with our own resources.  Where do you want to be this coming year?