A GREAT NEW YEAR,
AND LED BY MY SAVIOR
The New Year is now upon us, and holidays are behind us. All the trappings of Christmas are put away for another year. New Year’s resolutions are being made, and I pray that you have made a Spiritual Resolution List, or are preparing your heart to receive what God has in store for you this coming year.
We don’t know what this year will hold for any of us, what trials we will face, what storms we may have to go through. Some of us will face great trials. But instead of listening to the media and all the bad news and events that will certainly happen this year, look around you, at God’s creation, at His blessings. Look at His beautiful creation, the lovely sunsets and mountains.
Turn your thoughts heaven ward and what God has in store for His children. Let those thoughts fill you with joy no matter what the world may experience or the media tells the world. Oh, yes, there may be great tragedy in this world, as we can’t just hide our “heads in the sand.” But in those moments, turn your hearts in prayer for those involved and always remember those who suffer.
But as believers, we are led by a Wonderful Lord, always guiding and walking ahead, leading us in the way we should go, even though sometimes the way will be rough, rocks in our path, steep places to climb, storms will come. We may walk through dark valleys, but He is always there, Praise the Lord!
ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOR LEADS ME
(Fanny Crosby)
“All the way my Savior leads me; what have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, who thro’ life has been my Guide? Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell! For I know whate’re befall me, Jesus doeeth all things well; for I know whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me, cheers each winding path I tread, gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the living bread. Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul a thirst may be, gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see; gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads me; oh, the fullness of His love! Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above. When m y spirit clothed immortal wings its flight to realms of day, this my song thro’ endless ages; Jesus led me all the way; this my song thro’ endless ages; Jesus led me all the way.”
I picture my Shepherd as He leads me onward. There is He is, with His rod which comforts (Ps. 23), as He leads ever onward. The shepherd always leads the sheep, and with cattle they are driven. We are never driven, but led on. In the darkest of nights, He is there expelling the darkness. In the fog and gloom, He is there with His Light ever leading the way. And remember, there is always “Sonshine” behind those clouds. And as our Shepherd He does things well, there is never any shadow of turning with our Blessed Lord!
“I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known of mine” John 10:14. Yes, He knows His sheep, He knows you personally, my friend. And we as His sheep know His Wonderful voice, that sweet, comfort and peace we feel deep down in our spirit.
As we face this year, we will find ourselves in situations that we did not choose, and our steps may falter, and we may go through dry places and are thirsty in our souls. But our Shepherd promises to feed us with His Word, and fill our souls with His Living Water, and fill us with His joy.
“This place to which you have brought me, Lord, was not of my own choosing. You called me out from the rushing traffic, away from the crowd and clamor, away from the noise of getting things done. accomplishing goals and achieving, away from reaching and striving, into the quiet and peace of just . . being.
You led me along a cool, grassy path to a tranquil stream of clear water, to rest and pray and listen and wait as you work your will in the silence.
How was I to know, dear Lord, that in the simple act of being still and trusting you I was finally fulfilling Your will?” (Thorns and Thrones by B.J. Hoff) “He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul” Psalm 23, 2 3.
In the clamor and rush of our lives and all our busy days, our Shepherd calls us to a place of quiet rest in Him. Sometimes, He wants us just to be still before Him, to let Him bring peace to our anxious hearts. And there will be times like that this year, maybe this month, or even this week or day. Just stop and listen to that still small voice of your Shepherd ever leading, ever calling you onward.
And then someday, we will indeed “wing our flight to realms of day.” And our song through the endless ages will be that our Wonderful Shepherd led us all the way. And what a day that will be, and we can praise Him forever and ever, all trials ended, tears are wiped away and we will home with Him forever.
Again, I ask: “Do you know this Shepherd as your own personal Savior? If you have lost your way, he promises to go out and find that one lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7). And when that lost sheep is found, the Word says there is great rejoicing in Heaven. In fact, sometimes I wonder if they are “having a party” over the one lost sheep who comes home. Praise the Lord!
“Father, in the Name of Jesus, I commit every reader of this blog to Your tender care as we enter this New Year. I pray for peace and comfort in those times of stress, trying to get things done, all those times of rushing around. I pray that they will stop and listen for their Shepherd as He speaks peace and quiet to their troubled hearts. So as we go through our days, Your presence always goes before us, ever leading us onward and upward to that joyful day when we will rest in peace with our Lord forever.” Amen.
Pastor Sharon
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