God is in my future...

          In the wee hours of the morning I got up to spend my time with the Lord. As I paced the floor while praying, various thoughts started to form in my mind. Recently, I have been reading the story of Joshua and the Israelites in the book of Joshua. After Moses’ death, Joshua and the children of Israel made ready to enter the Promised Land. There was one problem – the Jordan river was before them and at that time of the year, its banks were overflowing making it even more difficult to cross over to the other side (Joshua 3:1, 15b). 
         As I thought of this, I pictured this last day of the year, 2021. Like Joshua and the Israelites, we too are about to cross a threshold. We are faced with the reality that the old year is behind us and we are about to cross over into something new. We have never been there before. We don’t know what the new year will bring but we may be filled with hope of something better.
         The Israelites had gotten a glimpse into the Promised Land through the twelve spies who had ventured into the land some forty years before. It was a land with people that seemed unconquerable, yet, indeed as the Lord had promised a land of fertility and bounty. Ten of the spies had focused on the giants in the land and how difficult if not impossible it would be for them to defeat them. All twelve spies were in agreement that it was indeed a land “flowing with milk and honey.” Only two, Joshua and Caleb, believed that their God was well able to help them defeat the people of this land (Numbers 13). 
         You see, the focus was important. While some focused on the problems they would surely encounter, a few kept their eyes on their God who had given them a promise and who would not fail them – no matter how big the problem seemed.
         As we cross over into a new year – and many of you will read this post after the year has already begun – we may be filled with trepidation, uncertainty, hope or a mixture of all of these emotions because of all that has gone before. Yet, we too have to keep our focus on our God. He is already there in the new year. He knows all that will happen – both good and bad – and He already has our backs before we can even encounter a single problem that this new year will bring. 
         I think it helps to remember that our God is ahead of us. He knows what we don’t know; He knows how things are going to turn out, we don’t. He already has the answers and solution to every problem we will encounter in the future, He is even ready for the battles that we are yet to face. When you put it into perspective, our God is more than ready for whatever will come our way – even when we are not! And that’s why it is a good thing to have God in your corner, the kind of God who is already there and waiting to help you face, survive and overcome any and every situation that will come your way. 
         But, the story doesn’t end there. The Israelites with God’s help are able to cross the Jordan river (Joshua 3:14-17) and enter the land of Canaan and under Joshua’s leadership, they conquer the inhabitants of the land and gain possession of much of this new territory (Joshua 11:16-23). This did not happen because of the Israelites’ fighting skills, rather the Lord fought for them and they were victorious. Just as Joshua and Caleb had believed and argued, the Lord fought for them and they were indeed able to defeat the giants of the land. God did it, it was never in their hands or ability to do it themselves, God did it for them. 
         We don’t know what the new year may bring. What we do know for sure is that our God is already there and He will fight for us and once God is involved in the fighting we will overcome. There is however one condition – we must be obedient. During Joshua’s reign, the only time the Israelites lost a battle was when one of the Israelites disobeyed God’s command and took spoil for himself from the city of Jericho when God had forbidden this. 
         In short, we can’t live our lives our way and expect God’s help. We have to choose to surrender our all and live the way He wants us to live and when we do life His way, He is obligated to come through for us. 
         Like you, I don’t know what the new year may bring. As I listen to the news and hear people’s predictions of what may come, I am confident of this – nothing is going to take my God by surprise, nothing or no one will be able to throw Him off. My God is stable, unconquerable, reliable, secure. He is still my covering, my shield, my rock, my defense, my Deliverer, my Provider, my everything. I don’t know about you but whatever comes my way, I know that my God’s already got it covered and He hasn’t failed me before and He certainly will not fail me now.
         If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and Saviour I really want to encourage you to do so now. With all that is happening in the world today, you need a God who will help you navigate, survive and overcome whatever comes your way. Give God a chance today.

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