We can rest in His faithfulness and rejoice that our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. We can remember how He has shown us His goodness numerous times and we should always praise Him for His great mercy and grace, as without these, we would not have survived.
At the beginning of 2021, I did something silly (I'll spare you the details so none of you are tempted to try it yourself 😉) which gave me the idea that I might not still be around in 2022. Yet we've reached the final day of 2021 and I'm still here. Yet, none of us know how soon our life may be taken. I hope that I will learn not to take anything for granted, but to be grateful to the Lord for every day He sees fit to keep me alive.
I'm glad we don't have the ability at the beginning of a year to know all that will happen through it. I'm very glad the Lord invites us to walk with Him, each day, step by step and if we can learn how to do that, we will be greatly blessed. He has proven Himself trustworthy throughout the generations past, and He never changes! Despite our fickleness and wayward wanderings, the Lord continues to lovingly draw us closer to Himself.
Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” How good and kind the Lord has promised to be.
I'm so glad He has chosen to forgive and forget my sins because I trust Him that His death on the Cross paid the price I owed. Thank You Lord Jesus that You were willing to take my place so I can have a restored relationship with the Holy God!
I was catching up reading a few devotionals and these verses from Psalm 116 "jumped out" at me.
"What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
13 I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord."
Later that evening a dear friend read excerpts from that same Psalm to me, including:
"Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."
I'll leave you with a poem, and pray, (whether you have a Happy New Year or not,) that the Lord will bless you.
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Trust and rest, a poem by A. B. Simpson
I came across this poem in a devotional and quite like it so thought I would share, although I'm sure it won't be everyone's style. I'm so glad we can trust our Saviour; He's the only One who is always totally trustworthy.
Trust and rest in Christ forever,
Lean thy head upon His breast;
Nothing from His love can sever
Those who simply trust and rest.
Trust and rest in hours of sorrow;
Every wrong shall be redressed,
In some happy, bright tomorrow,
If you only trust and rest.
Trust and rest when all around thee
Puts thy faith to sorest test;
Let no fear nor foe confound thee,
Wait for God and trust and rest.
Trust and rest with heart abiding,
Like a birdling in its nest,
Underneath His feathers hiding;
Fold thy wings and trust and rest.
Trust and rest till gentle fingers
Fold thy hands across thy breast,
While the echo softly lingers,
Everlasting trust and rest.
Trust and rest, trust and rest,
God is working for the best.
A. B. Simpson
Yes, Christmas is coming, the world will be merry,
ReplyDeleteWith turkey, plum pudding; with port wine and sherry.
Sad hearts will be gladdened wherever you go,
With greetings and presents - with Yule logs aglow;
And houses all trimmed with the evergreen fir;
As Christmas you see, comes but once in a year.
What means this great feast-time the sad world is keeping?
Explain all the mirth that shall banish the weeping:
"The birthday of Jesus," perhaps you will say,
("No room in the inn, so they laid Him on hay")
When God the Eternal incarnate became,
To ransom a people from bondage and shame;
Bright angels in glory attended the birth
Of Him who created the Heavens and Earth.
Though Scripture is silent regarding December,
Some heart searching facts it would have us remember;
We stripped Him and flogged Him - we crowned Him with thorn,
Dividing between us the clothes He had worn:
With hammer and nails (how sad to repeat)
We fastened His hands - yes and also His feet,
Securely there to a terrible tree,
And raised Him aloft for humanity's glee.
"He's finished" we scoffed, as we sealed up the tomb;
Unwittingly then we were sealing our doom:
That God has forgotten, let none of us think,
While lauding the Babe as we banquet and drink:
No, surely consider, the grave and the stone
Were powerless to hold Him - He's now on the throne
And coming in judgment; - Oh how shall we stand,
Explaining the wounds in His feet or His hands?
For God has declared every knee shall be bowed
Unto Him who was mocked by the onlooking crowd.
Forgiveness is offered - just let me begin -
Salvation to all who acknowledge their sin;
But sinners alone - (no other may claim)
And only the ones who believe on His Name.
No Bethlehem stable completed His mission;
For the shedding of blood must accomplish remission.
The substitute victim God's counsel supplied.
So Jesus the sinless one willingly died.
A.E.H