The land you are to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. (Deuteronomy 11: 11-12)We stand at the threshold of the unknown. Before us lies a new year, and we are going forward to take possession of it. Who knows what we will find? What new experiences or changes will come our way? What new needs will arise? In spite of the uncertainty before us, we have a cheerful and comforting message from our heavenly Father.
Yet the land we are to possess is a land of valleys and hills. It is not all flat or downhill. If life were always smooth and level, the boring sameness would weigh us down. We need the valleys and the hills. It is the difficulty encountered on the hills that drives us to the throne of grace and brings the showers of blessing.
We cannot see what loss, sorrow, and trials are accomplishing. We need only to trust. The Father comes to take our hand and lead us on our way today. It will be a good and blessed new year!
~Streams in the Desert