By Pastor Doug Cox

Wishing people a Happy New Year is a wonderful tradition that we practice here in America. It is mostly a surface thing but unfortunately not all those wishes for happiness come to pass. People need more than well wishes. So, if there are people you know that you really want to be blessed and happy there are a couple of things you can do to make that possible.

You have probably heard the saying, “if wishes were fishes, we’d all have a fry.” It’s easy to make wishes and we can make a lot of them but so many don’t really amount to much or change anything. A wish may put a momentary smile on a person’s face, and that’s a good thing, but what if there is something more you could do to effect change that will bring happiness? Would you do it?

Saying Happy New Year to someone basically means you want them blessed. So, the question is, do you really mean it when you say it? Or was it just what we do at the New Year in keeping with tradition? Sometimes it is just an act of being cordial, but sometimes there are some people you know that you would really like to see blessed and happy.

If that’s the case, there are things you can do to make a difference. If it is in your power to do something physically to help them then do it. It could be done on the sly or face to face. (By the way it is not illegal to be a secret Santa after Christmas). On the other hand, sometimes the need goes deeper, and this is where we can all do something that will help and that something is pray.

The words of the apostle James are very inspiring. He says “Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16 NKJV) You might think you are not righteous and that’s true. At least not without Jesus. That is the very reason Jesus went to the cross and shed His blood. He did it so He could give us the gift of righteousness, (See Romans 5:17). Righteousness means right standing with God. Jesus gifted us with right standing before God so we can enter into His presence and offer prayers that make a difference.

James goes on to remind us about how Elijah prayed earnestly two times and made a difference. His prayers were meant to bring a blessing on the nation of Israel and they did. Now someone might be thinking, Elijah was a prophet and I’m not and that’s why God heard him. Sorry, James knew you might think that and that’s why he wrote this, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.? James 5:17-18 NKJV

I could list other scriptures that reveal how powerful and important prayers are, so the truth is, we are without excuse. We can pray and God will hear us and our prayers can effect change. So, I hope you will join me in making it a point to pray for the folks that need it so that God can work in their lives in a greater way. Who knows maybe it will be like Jeremiah 31:13 says. “(God) will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.” Happy New Year!