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A message on social media said, “We will not walk into 2021 like we own it, we better walk cautiously into 2021, not touching anything without permission.”

I would amend that statement to read, “We will not walk into 2021 without God, and without God going before us!”

The past year, 2020, has been, well, insert whatever word you want. It has certainly been tough. But God was with us. Most hope that things will be different in 2021. The reality is that it will probably look very similar to 2020, at least in the opening months. And we must look to God.

I Kings 18:25-29 tells the story of those looking for help in the wrong places, and the culmination of sin and depravity in Israel. “Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.’ So, they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. And they danced around the altar they had made. ‘Baal, answer us!’ But there was not response; no one answered.” No one paid attention.

Will you rely on yourself or will you trust God in the challenges we are facing? The danger here is that we can begin to rely on ourselves and our own strength instead of looking to God. We may rely on our own “Baals,” to help us. Maybe we rely on just doing and forget to be with God. Maybe we are angered by the change and instead of learning and doing new things that God might have us do in this time. Maybe you are fixated on getting things back “like they were.” Or maybe you just are tired and exhausted. You have worked more than you ever have this year, you have done more than you ever thought you could, and you just are done. If you look to anything other than God then you will be left unanswered, silent, and in despair. In the challenges you are facing or will face, are you asking some “it” to come through for you, or are you looking to God?

Notice how Elijah cries out to God in 1 Kings, “Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

I ask that God would turn the hearts of the people back. I think that is the prayer we need to be praying these days: God, turn my heart back to you. Show me where you want to move. Show me where you want to do something new in my life. Show me how you want to do a new work through me right now.

We need to look to the only one who is able and ready to save us when we call on him. May God bless you in the New Year.

REV. JOHN MOXLEY can be reached at Jmoxley1@juno.com.