Aliel Cunningham

I love this time of year – especially the holy hush that seems to come over the world between Christmas and New Year as we await for the dawn of new beginnings and new rhythms in our life. The world’s rhythms slow down to almost a stopping place. It feels like a moment suspended where we are holding our breath waiting for newness to burst upon us. This sacred space in our calendar points to a spiritual reality. We are all in need of being made new and we are waiting holding our breath in expectation for the only One who can truly make us new through the power of His love. He is coming for us. And every New Year is a picture of Him. More than any single day on the calendar, Jesus is the newness that our hearts yearn for. We are waiting for Him to awaken us. We are like the sleeping princess in the fairy tale waiting for our Prince of Peace to rescue us from the sleep of death.  

I wanted to end this year by reflecting on two themes that God continues to bring me back to again and again throughout this year of stepping by faith into this life of ministry. 

The first is this picture of a sleeping child that is given to us in Psalm 131 when David says – 

“My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and forevermore.”

There is nothing I know more quieting and heartwarming than watching a child sleeping peacefully, trusting that they are protected and cared for.  And this is the picture God keeps bringing back to me to remind me that He knows the way that He is leading me and so I can trust in His care and rest in the shadow of His wings no matter what else is happening around me.  

I love that beautiful passage in Matthew that describes Jesus sleeping contentedly like a child being rocked to sleep in the midst of the storm. 

“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.”   

~Matthew 8:24

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

    for you alone, Lord,

    make me dwell in safety. 

~Psalm 4:8

The second theme that God keeps bringing to my attention is the need for me to take time to be quiet and make room for Him in my heart and in my day.  To create space for a holy and expectant hush waiting to hear His voice instead of my own.  A holy pause to invite Him to draw near while I slow down and receive His presence, remembering that He is here with me now.  He is the only One who can renew my heart and restore to me the joy of my salvation. 

But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

 ~Isaiah 40:31

I pray for each of you this New Year that you will enter the kingdom anew as a little child resting completely in the care of your Heavenly Father. May you take time for a holy hush somewhere in this week to slow down and be quiet and allow Him to speak His love directly to your heart.  May the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Blessed be your New Year! Look with expectation for the New beginnings God has for you in 2024! May you enter in with the resting heart of a child in the care of your Heavenly Father. Your God will come to save you. Behold! He is the One who makes all things new.

If you need a space to help you wait on the Lord in trust, I would recommend these beautiful grace-filled songs that are for the child of 8 months or 88 years. No matter who we are, we all need to know that we are held in His love. Lullabies for the Beloved (Christy Nockles) –