First Day of the New Year

On this first Day of the New Year, I encourage you to begin, stubbornly holding on by faith, to our Heavenly Father, Sovereign God whose Words, Works and Ways are all fool proof. It is with this mind and heart that we can sumptuously, safely and satisfactorily feed on these words of this New Year’s hymn by Frances R. Havergal.

This is one of the old standards, which has flowed down through the ages, since the eighteen hundreds. It is as powerful, potent, fresh and new each year, as believers, gathered in large and small congregations, and even alone, feed on this hymn and find strength and courage to face the oncoming year. The hymn is, ‘Standing at the Portal’.

The entire hymn is saturated with God’s forever flowing blessings. However, I have chosen to take just two verses which encompass us with the Courage, Comfort, Correction and Consolation of our Gracious and Loving God’s, Circle of Warmth. Each of us is perfectly fitted with our Lord’s ever-flowing blessings – measured to fit - around us and within us.

As we stand at the portal of the opening year of 2025, may the Words of our Lord, which meet us at this point and in this place, hush every fear, big or small. May we each be given new hearing ears, new seeing eyes, a new submissive heart and a ready, renewed mind that we all may know in Spirit and in truth, the tender, strong and faithful voice of our Father, God. May our hearts know rejoicing in Him and Him alone.

I, the Lord, am with thee, Be thou not afraid;

I will help and strengthen, Be thou not dismayed.

Yea, I will uphold thee, With My own right hand;

Thou art called and chosen, In My sight to stand.

Refrain: Onward, then, and fear not, children of the day;

For His word shall never, never pass away.

He will never fail us, He will not forsake:

His eternal covenant, He will never break,

Resting on His promise, what have we to fear?

God is all-sufficient for the coming year.

Onward, then, and fear not, children of the day;

For His word shall never, never pass away.

Onward we go then, as we return to a verse of Scripture which was referenced in yesterday’s offering. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3: 14.

We are curious about this verse, which is laden with information, life giving and life maintaining information that provides us with unfailing ammunition against all evil. We all, who will believe, need, not just head knowledge here, but active, visible proof, showing in our lives, the Living, Transforming Word of God.

There is a word in the above text, which is revered and respected by many, as its meaning conveys absolute trust, faithfulness and sincerity. It is a word which carries even weightier names, such as covenant or pledge. It also carries more everyday names such as, pact or bargain. Yes! It is the word, promise. We human beings live lives of promise making but alas, promises are so easily broken at times.

It is most common for people, all people, of every walk of life to make promises to family, friends, others and even to themselves. You can think of them, for you perhaps have made some promises, which are generally referred to as New Year resolutions. We are not dealing in this meditation with our promises, but with God’s promises.

Fellow believers, sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, and all who will hear, believer or non-believer, Creator God, the One Supreme, has not just contracted Himself to a span, in order to come to us as a human Baby, something we can never fathom nor understand, but it goes even further. God’s love for us sinners, tainted, blemished, ugly and most wicked, sees us as His own and makes promises with us. Does this not send you wild with awe and fear; admiration and contrition; joy and sadness; thankfulness and shame? I mean, when you see how, despite our wretchedness Father God still is speaking and working and doing things to make us into what we ought to be, does this not catapult you and bring you to knees of repentance?