I N THE goodness of God we stand at the portal of another year. The Old Year has rolled into Eternity. What a year of international up heaval it proved to be! It may be that we would like to recall the van ished months in order to put right a few things. Words were spoken which now we would like to un-say; acts were committed we now wish to un do. However, it is too late to make amends. But the beginning of an other year is here, and with it the assurance that “the God of our years’’ is with us to make us victori ous where last year we were de feated, strong where we were weak, hopeful where we were fearful, holy where we were sinful. We have made new resolutions for 1947. We do not know what in sur prises or sorrows, the untrodden way holds for us, but, full of hope, we face the unknown future, believing that "so long Thy power hath blessed, sure it still will lead us on.” We do not see the distant scene. Re alizing that the journey through the year will have to be taken a step at a time, we have determined to trust ourselves to our divine Guide, whose love and wisdom have already planned our course. So, setting out as we are upon another stretch of earth’s pilgrimage, it will be found helpful to hitch the wagon of our hopes to the star of a promise. With hellish forces let loose upon the earth, and the pros pect of a year of unprecedented woe and tribulation, we must have some inspiring message we can take to our heart. Isaiah, for example, con tains a wonderful promise for the dark, critical days ahead. If we will appropriate it, it will yield the secret of a holy, happy New Year; “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, 1 will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (41:10). The Lord reveals Himself in a fourfold way in this Scripture. His Prerogative There are two “not”s we will have to guard against if we want a year of unbroken‘ peace. “Fear thou not . . . be not dismayed.” Fear and dis may! These enemies lurk within the shadows to rob us of trust and confi dence. And, because of His poise, God possesses the sovereign right to command us to have a year without dread or depression. One of the blessed things about God is that He graciously supplies what He com mands. It was this aspect of the divine character that led St. Augus tine to pray, “Give what Thou co'm- mandest, then command what Thou
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