Streams in the Desert: New Year
The land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: a land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. Deuteronomy 11:11-12
Today dear friends, we stand upon the verge of the unknown. There lies before us the new year and we are going forth to possess it. Who can tell what we shall find? What new experiences, what changes shall come, what new needs shall arise? But here is the cheering, comforting, gladdening message from our Heavenly Father, “The Lord thy God careth for it.” “His eyes are upon it always to the ending of the year.”
All our supply is to come from the Lord. Here are springs that shall never dry; here are fountains and streams that shall never be cut off. Here, anxious one, is the gracious pledge of the Heavenly Father. If He be the Source of our mercies they can never fail us. No heat, no drought can parch that river, “the streams whereof make glad the city of God.”
The land is a land of hills and valleys. It is not all smooth nor all down hill. If life were all one dead level the dull sameness would oppress us; we want the hills and the valleys. The hills collect the rain for a hundred fruitful valleys. Ah, so it is with us! It is the hill difficulty that drives us to the throne of grace and brings down the shower of blessing; the hills, the bleak hills of life that we wonder at and perhaps grumble at, bring down the showers. How many have perished in the wilderness, buried under its golden sands, who would have lived and thriven in the hill-country; how many would have been killed by the frost, blighted with winds, swept desolate of tree and fruit but for the hill-stern, hard, rugged, so steep to climb. God’s hills are a gracious protection for His people against their foes!
We cannot tell what loss and sorrow and trial are doing. Trust only. The Father comes near to take our hand and lead us on our way today. It shall be a good, a blessed new year!
He leads us on by paths we did not know;
Upward He leads us, though our steps be slow,
Though oft we faint and falter on the way,
Though storms and darkness oft obscure the day;
Yet when the clouds are gone,
We know He leads us on.
He leads us on through all the unquiet years;
Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts and fears,
He guides our steps, through all the tangled maze
Of losses, sorrows, and o’erclouded days;
We know His will is done;
And still He leads us on.
—N.L. Zinzendorf
–end of Streams in the Desert devotional for January 1.
Prayer
Father god, today we certainly do stand upon the verge of the unknown. But to us You are known. You are good. You love us. You have the power to help us. And You want to help us.
Therefore, I cry out to heaven, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me” (Psalm 118:6-7).
In Your Divine Providence, hear from heaven, and look upon this beautiful land that You have given us as an inheritance. Father, we plead, in this New Year of 2021, do not turn us over to evil. Do not turn Israel over to evil. Don’t turn the world over to the evil of satan.
We offer our gratitude for this cheering, comforting, gladdening Word from You, our Heavenly Father, “The Lord thy God careth for it.” “His eyes are upon it always to the ending of the year.” Father, You have said it and it is so. Thank You for protecting us. Thank You for having mercy on us.
Father, bless Your Name in heaven above and earth below. We ask Your merciful blessings on the year 2021! Bless Your people in America and throughout the world. And most of all, bless the cultivated olive tree of Israel. We thank You that Jesus Christ made it possible that wild olive shoots should be grafted in that sacred vine, that we may share in the living waters of its nourishing root.
Thank You for new beginnings.
In Your great mercy, remember us.
Father God, please deliver us from evil.
In the Name of Jesus Christ and By His authority We Pray, Amen.
