The Ball Has Dropped
By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
Happy New Year 2025!
The big crystal ball dropped in New York City. The peach dropped in Atlanta. The tangerine dropped in Florida. Over the years, numerous things have been dropped at the stroke of midnight. You can read about the time an Indy car was dropped in Indianapolis. I read about several places in Georgia where lots of interesting things are lowered as the midnight hour approaches. There’s the stuffed possum, the pig, and even the buzzard that’s dropped in different towns. Other states have lighted beach balls dropped.
One town lowers a crab; another lowers a giant donut—most to commemorate something special about their area. I even read about a giant onion being lowered at midnight—all in the name of ushering in a new year and celebrating new beginnings.
God likes celebrations too!
Recently, while reading through the book of Numbers in the Old Testament, I came across instructions given to the Israelites about the making of two silver trumpets. Instructions were given about when and how to use those trumpets to signal times of movement and worship as a camp. There was another purpose as well.
Numbers 10:10 says,
Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts and at the beginning of your months you shall blow the trumpets. . .
God was telling them to celebrate and remember. At the beginning of each month, they were to blow the trumpet. In moments of gladness, they were to blow the trumpet. It was a time to celebrate and commemorate.
As we begin 2025 together, let us celebrate all that God has done in our lives.
The old year has gone. Undoubtedly, there were hard times, sad times, times of illness, stress, and hardship. God knows all of that and walked with us through the valleys as well as the high times. God is still in control, and that is something to celebrate and shout from the hills.
We don’t know what 2025 will bring. There are many unknowns. Yet together, we can still praise God with joy and thanksgiving for the promise that He will walk with us into the future. May God walk with you this next year! May we all grow deeper in our walk with God, and no matter what happens, may we still know that God is on the throne and in control.