Читать книгу Beyond the Horizon - Harry A. Renfree - Страница 11

January 05

In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, there is a verse that just fits the beginning of a new year: “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 11:12).

God’s people Israel had a centuries–old promise from God that one day they would possess a homeland far beyond their wildest dreams. After languishing for over four hundred years in Egypt, God had seen to their deliverance, and they were on their way to Canaan, the Promised Land. They roamed the wilderness for over forty years before their children stood on the bank of the Jordan River, hesitating before crossing into Canaan.

Here the promise of God rings in, as it were, a marvelous new year: “The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven” (Deuteronomy 11:10–11).

His promise to us in this land as we enter the new year, as surely as we place our faith in Him, is not only an earthly Promised Land, but an eternal one—which is far better. They both have Heavenly spiritual showers of blessing. We are assured that God will be with us continually . . . from beginning to end, here and in eternity, which has no end.

Poet John Oxenham’s words seem to chime in for those of us who have a few doubts.

Not for one single day

Can I discern my way,

But this I surely know,—

Who gives the day,

Will show the way,

So I securely go.2