Is anyone else feeling apprehensive about the New Year? Or at the very least, do you have some nagging thoughts of fear, doubt, discouragement, heaviness, uncertainty?
Because I have been feeling it. So much turmoil in our world these days- government, Covid-19, business ventures and failures, events planned and rescheduled- even our everyday moments are driven by uncertainties.
Yet, praise God for his word. This morning, I was struggling with what to read in my Bible. I decided to go back to Joshua (where I had ended before my reading in Luke for Advent). I read Joshua 10- this amazing story of God fighting for the Israelites and the sun standing still. At the beginning of the chapter, after learning these five kings have banded together to wage war against the Israelites, God tells Joshua to not be afraid of dismayed because God has given all these armies into his hands.
The Scripture goes on to recount this unbelievable conquest of the Israelites: hail and stones raining down from heaven, the sun and moon standing still (the "science" behind that is unbelievable in itself!!), all these kings running and hiding in a cave.... it's thrilling.
Near the middle of the chapter, Joshua gives his men the same instruction God had given him: "Do not be afraid or dismayed for God has given our enemies into our hands."
What an amazing story. I found this so encouraging, yet challenging. Before this whole thing is "done", we read in verse 18 that Joshua instructs his men to pursue the enemy, to attack them for the Lord had given them into their hand.
God had promised that these enemies would be defeated. BUT- that did not mean the Israelites and Joshua could just idly sit by and watch. No. They still had to do work. And, God worked with them, for them, beside them, before them, behind them.
And, he does the same for us. Matthew Henry writes, "'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' forms a sufficient answer to ten thousand difficulties which objectors in every age have stated against the truth God as revealed in his written word.... Pursue the enemy... pursue the conquest... 'if God is for us, who can be against us'!"
Whatever this new year brings, God holds it all in his hands. YET, this does not leave us without responsibility. We still must do our part to press on, to reach forth for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. God is for us. And, he can and will do mighty things- today, tomorrow, in the year ahead. Are you trusting him- as Joshua and the Israelites did against the five kings? Or, are you wallowing in the fear and dread of tomorrow?
I have included the link to the song, "All of Our Tomorrows" by Sovereign Grace. PLEASE listen to this song. The words hold great promise and hope as we look ahead to 2021.
How good and sweet it is to know the One who holds all our tomorrows!
Happy New Year, dear ones!
"We offer up to you this day,
And all of our tomorrows...
Eternal joy is in your hands
And all of our tomorrows!"
