“…You have never been this way before.” Joshua 3:4b
We are looking out on a new year. We are taking a journey into the unknown.
There is nothing more uncertain than the future and the prospects seem pretty bleak. With Joshua we can say that “we have never been this way before”.
But, surely the Lord would want His people to prosper and be blessed? The dictionary says to succeed is “to attain the desired object or end”. And so, if we have the right God-given object in focus, we will indeed succeed, not just for ourselves but more especially for the glory of God.
Once again, there are certain criteria to be met if we are to enjoy a happy and prosperous new year. I believe that the recipe for a successful new year consists of three ‘Rs’: Remember, Repent and Resolve.
1. We are to Remember
We must always remember what God has done for us, especially in Christ Jesus our Lord. We even have the Lord’s Supper to remind us of His great sacrifice for our salvation. Jesus said, “Do this whenever you do it in remembrance of me.”
We must remember that the greatest happiness and the richest rewards come to those who are faithful.
We must remember that this may be our last year.
2. We are to Repent
Now we know that repentance is the first step to God. A person is never saved and can never get to God until they have first repented of all their sin.
However, according to New Testament teaching, there is ongoing repentance for the Christian.
We continue to think, say and do the wrong things and thus spoil the sweet fellowship with our Lord and each other.
But thanks be to God for the convicting power of His Holy Spirit and the assurance that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
3. We are to Resolve
As with the many writers of Scripture, it is a good thing to say, “I resolve in my heart.”
We all fail again and again but frequent dedications and commitments to do what the Lord requires of us helps us to get back on track. God was about to do great things amongst the people of Israel under the new leadership of Joshua but first Joshua told the people: “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (Joshua 3:5)
The future is unknown. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, but if we are careful to keep our relationship with the living God vital and real, we will certainly triumph in the end.
A Prayer: Father God, grant me the desire as never before to keep my relationship with you in Christ Jesus as vital and as true as ever as I face this new year with all its challenges and uncertainties. Amen.