Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Grace for the New Year

BE strong and of good courage ...
fear not, nor be dismayed;
for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee;
He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
1 CHRONICLES 28:20

That we should serve in newness of spirit.
ROMANS 7:6

HELP us, O Lord! behold we enter
Upon another year today;
In Thee our hopes and thoughts now centre,
Renew our courage for the way;
New life, new strength, new happiness,
We ask of Thee; oh, hear, and bless !
JOHANN RIST

THE year begins; and all its pages are as blank as the silent years of the life of Jesus Christ. Let us begin it with high resolution; then let us take all its limitations, all its hindrances, its disappointments, its narrow and common-place conditions, and meet them as the Master did in Nazareth, with patience, with obedience, putting ourselves in cheerful subjection, serving our apprenticeship. Who knows what opportunity may come to us this year? Let us live in a great spirit, then we shall be ready for a great occasion.
GEORGE HODGES

No comments: