7
January 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
A Message for the New Year B y F. J. H orsefield (In “ The Life o f Faith” )
“As thy days, so. shall thy strength &e.^-Deut. 33:25. i T is good as we stand upon the threshold of a new year to lay firm hold upon so great and gracious a promise, and claim its fulfillment as part of our normal daily experience. We so often wonder what the future may have in store for us— whether the coming days will be filled with joy or with sorrow, with prosperity or adversity, with gladness or with gloom. But whilst we recognize the impossibility of forecasting with the slightest degree of certainty what any single day or hour may bring to us, yet, with such a
boisterous waters there shines no ray of light, no single star to cheer our onward way. There are days that bring to us all manner of dif ficulties and perplexities, that lay upon us heavy burdens of responsibility, anxiety and care; and if the coming year is like all other years we cannot hope to escape from these. But we have the promise of all-sufficient strength: what more can we need? Hitherto, it may be, we have been beset by manifold temptations, and we have no reason to anticipate that the future will be free, from them, yet “ as thy days, so shall thy strength be’ 1 —strength that
will enable us, by the grace of God, to be “more than conquerors” and to have constant victory over all the powers of evil. I t A pplies to A ny T rial or D uty Many of those who will read these words are all through life subject to grievous pain and wear iness : for t h e m e a c h d a y brings a renewal of physical suf fering, even as each night brings little or no respite from the fur nace of affliction. For such, too, the promise is clearly intended, and although the days to come may be just as full as their prede cessors of anguish of body or of mental suffering, still the strength to endure will most certainly be given to all who rely upon God’s faithfulness and loving care. There are, too, in the lives of many of the Lord’s own people, d a y s of deep discouragement, when they are bowed down be cause of the apparent failure of their work and testimony; or are oppressed with the sense of their
promise as this upon which to lean, we may pursue our journey in happy confidence, and in the as sured conviction that He who does know all that shall befall each one of His children, has already so provided for them that they need never feel overwhelmed by life’s sorrows or overburdened by its duties. As they enter upon each day with all its varied tasks and responsibilities, its perils and pos sibilities of good or evil, they will find strength proportioned to their need awaiting them, and on every step of their journey will be watched over and upheld by the Omnipotent God. How gracious He is in thus seeking to hush the fears of His children, and to com fort their hearts; and as we enter upon another year we can march forward with all confidence if we believe in, and rest upon, His un failing Word. 1 T he P romise is F or A ll Such a promise as the one be fore us is suitable for all, whatever their circumstances may be. There
God Bl e s s The e B y E dith L. Y oung
God hless thee!
Ever keep and richly bless thee! May He prove His precious love, Other friendships far above. Daily may His strength refresh thee', God bless thee! God bless thee! With each new dawn sweetly bless thee, Tho’ the day be dark or bright, May He fill it with His light; May He let no fears distress thee, God bless thee! God bless thee! Ever guide, uphold, and bless thee, Safely guard through all life’s way, Sweetest peace bestow each day. May no foe nor ill molest thee, God bless thee! God bless thee! For His glory keep and bless thee, - Till,- by His redeeming grace, . When we meet Him face to face, As His own He shall confess thee, God bless thee!
own utter weakness and unworthiness. Perhaps they have been reading the biographies of some who by mighty faith, indomitable energy, or unflagging zeal have wrought wonders in the extension of God’s kingdom and the win ning of souls, and as they compare their own life and ser vice with that of others they feel completely disheartened, and are inclined to think they can never expect to live a life that will really bring glory to their Lord and Master. It may well be that in many such cases there is very real growth going on, however unrecognized it may be by the believer, or that the Lord is making us grow downwards —getting the roots of our faith more firmly embedded, whilst we are only thinking of growth up wards. But in any case, for all discouraged and disap pointed followers of the Lord there is always this promise available. Again we think of those exposed to fierce temptation, who, conscious of their inability to resist in their own
are only two words in the original—one undoubtedly meaning “ As thy days,” but the other may be translated either “ strength,” as in our version, or “ rest,” or “ riches.” Yet in a way all these are synonymous: the Christian who is assured of the gift of divine strength to meet every need, enters into a rest of which the world knows nothing, and becomes the possessor of riches that can never perish. Accepting, then, the usual translation, we may notice how the promise Covers all days without exception or lim itation—days that are crowded with life’s activities, and days that are spent in solitude and silence, in weariness and suffering; days in which we walk in the sunshine, in the fair garden of prosperity, with the birds,singing all around us and the flowers of lov.e and joy and peace filling our lives with fragrance and beauty; days when the chill ing winds of adversity rob us of all earthly delights; days when storms and tempests break over our heads, when dark clouds blot out the sun, and when over the wild and
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