Ecclesiastes 7:14 [New International Version NIV]
When times are good,
be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well
as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
Would you really like to know what lies ahead for you in the
year 2013? If it were all good I am sure
you would. Suppose for just one moment that God sent Gabriel to hand you a
calendar of events for your life in 2013. You would scan the pages with
apprehension and fear. I would count the pages first to see if there were 12 of
them. Scanning them quickly I may see days with a list of events and other days
with only a few lines. Just imagining being able to do that causes an
unsettling feeling.
God has such a calendar. He has our calendar from start to
finish. I would rather have it that way. He knows my human mind and emotions
are not capable of handling such things. I would be so depressed if I knew up
front what sorrow may await me. The happy times would not be happy if I knew
the sorrow first. Every time I would try to look forward to the happiness the
sorrow would dampen the joy. What a miserable state to live in until the events
unfolded. One more thing, I would try to somehow change the circumstances that I
may not experience the sorrow. If I could I would cancel all the sorrowful
events and fill my year with nothing but happiness and joy! You and I both know
that is not humanly possible, don’t we?
Therefore I end this year with memories of sorrowful days and
happy days. Fun filled vacation days with my family and sad times having to
conduct funerals for friends but during both events, Jesus was with me. I have come to the close of my 55th
year on earth and enter my 56th one. What lies ahead? I have no idea
but I know who does, and He will be there in good or bad times. Because He has
my life in His hands I can enter 2013 with faith. So can you if you will put
your faith and trust in Christ. When making your New Year resolutions, resolve
to give your life to Jesus and then enter each day in His power and embrace
each day and each moment as He has intended for you.