Looking out my window on a blue sky, sun lighting up the hills and the quiet beauty of the world around me.

And I am thinking, may the beauty of this last day of 2014, be followed by the beauty and promise of a fruitful life for all of you in 2015.  

Psalm 89:46-48    How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁷ Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

⁴⁸ What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

As we come to the close of 2014 and start focusing on what we need to be doing in 2015 we think about time.

We could/should have done things differently in 2014 – we can look back and see what we planned to do, but failed, or what we should have done, but did not do.

We can also look back at those things we accomplished and things which brought joy into the lives of others.

We can look back at the violence, terror and hypocrisy of people who profess a belief of a ‘god’ and then destroy others that do not agree with them.

We can look back at those that stood firm in their beliefs in God and Christ, despite the persecution and death that accompanied it.

We can look back with questions asking why?  Why did this happen to me?  Why is the world in such disarray?  God, why don’t you something to all those who are persecuting your people?

The Prophets and Writers of the Old Testament often asked this question.  Why, Oh Lord, Why?  How long must we endure this persecution?  When will you make all things right once again – as it was before the sin of Adam? 

Yet, that question is not answered.  God has no obligation to give us an answer.

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

It would be nice to know the future, especially for us and our loved ones.  What is going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, week or year?  Yet, to have that kind of omnipotent power could be devastating.  Yes, we might know the end result of a tragedy and maybe it is positive, but what if it is not?

What if an accident will happen to one of our loved ones on a given date and they will be forever in a coma, how would we handle that?  We already lay awake nights with worry – how would we face the knowledge of what would happen to this person, knowing there is absolutely nothing we can do about it?

The list goes on of course, but the fact is we don’t know, but God does.  He has a plan for each of us and a plan for this world.  He has an appointed time that He will do whatever He wants to do.

Through prayer and submission we can redeem ourselves, and He will not do what He says He will do – His Grace will accept that honest heart that begs forgiveness and provides that forgiveness.  But He knows, ahead of time how we will react to His Words of promised discipline.

We know that eventually Christ will come back and eventually there will be a new earth and a new heaven, but only God knows when that time will come.  That does not mean we should just accept fate and let it come – we can make a difference in the lives of people while we are awaiting His Judgment.  

Rather than focusing on the negative, we can focus on the Power of God to change men’s hearts and bring them to Him.  We need to focus on our own life and how we can best serve Him.  We only have so many hours is a day, so many days left in our life time, time is ticking away and we don’t want to waste it.

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

My prayer this year is that I learn to remember to count each day, to focus on how I can serve Him that day.  Read His Word, Praise and thank Him for His Grace and Great Love and ask in prayer those things that are on my heart.  Ask, Lord, what can I do for you, today?

Then, do it.

Later, Art :-) 

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again