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A HAPPY NEW YEAR

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A HAPPY NEW YEAR

6 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

WITH the appearance of this issue, New Year’s day has come and gone, reminding us that the old year has sunk into eternal oblivion. It is an ordinance instituted by God, for when He created those great lights in the Heavens, He said, “Let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” Thus by these revolving bodies, the seasons and years are reckoned. Had man remained in the state of rectitude, his life would not have been measured by days, weeks, months and years, for God created him to live forever. But since man did not keep his first state, but fell away from God through disobeying the Divine commandment, the Lord has also set bounds to his earthly career. The Lord says in Job 14:5: “Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass, and thus each revolving year added to the number we have already lived, does also diminish the number allotted us by the Lord.

This should cause us to pause and consider that the longest life is very short at that; but alas, it is not in man’s nature to do so, for he lives as though he were to remain here forever. He makes plans, he proposes, he will do this and that, but forgets that God disposes. Being blinded by the god of this world, man’s heart is set upon the things of time and sense. He is above all concerned what he shall eat, what he shall drink, or what he shall clothe himself with, and although the Lord admonishes not to labor for the meat that perishes, he does it nevertheless. Being led captive by the devil at his will, he desires to do only his bidding, and forgetting God his maker, Who shall call him into judgment for all this. For by cumbering ourselves with many things, we forget to seek the one thing needful, and although we see our fellow-men die to the right and left, we flatter ourselves that this will not happen to us. O, how blind and foolish have we become, through the deceitfulness of sin, chasing after baubles of this time state, seeking pleasure and happiness in that which in the end shall be the death of us, unless it pleases God to open our eyes, and to enlighten our understanding, for then only shall the prayer of Moses become our prayer also, “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

We have entered a new year friends: how have we entered it? Were we convinced by the teachings of God the Holy Spirit, that it was of God’s mercies that we are not consumed; did we reflect upon the year just ended, how the Lord has borne with us, that whereas others who entered that year with us, did not see the end of it, but have gone the way of all flesh, and we are yet in the land of the living but which is also the land of the dying? Or have we entered it in the spirit of Old Adam, having only eye, ear and heart for that which is sensual? This is sad indeed for this proves that we are yet in our natural state, strangers of God and strangers of the covenant of promises, without God, and hence without Christ, Who alone can give us that for which the human soul longs and seeks; namely, true happiness; for in vain shall man find that in the things of the world which can only be had in God through Christ. May the Lord work that desire in your heart, both old and young, that the Lord may teach you to number your days, that you may have an eye to the end, for says God’s Word: what is your life, it is but a smoke and a vapor, a handbreadth, and none of us know how soon we shall have to leave this world behind and enter the world to come, which shall determine our state for eternity, for as the tree falleth so shall it lie. The old year with all its vississitudes has passed away, and though we may look hopefully to the future, our hope shall be put to shame, and we shall realize, but too late, that we have played the fool, unless our hope is stayed on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. The world as it is today, is in a turmoil, and chaos reigns supreme as it were. Thus far we have been spared, but for how long?

Although the future is dark for those who know not God, and therefore are not concerned about eternity, still there are some who are made to differ, and that not through anything of their own, but because the Lord willed it so. Happy are those therefore, who are truly concerned as to how they shall be just before God, for having been taught the vanity of it all here below, they, by the grace of God, have learned to value the things of eternity above anything the world affords. And therefore friends, though the way may be dark, and the cross heavy, though doubts and fears may beset on every side, the Lord says, “Say unto the children of Israel that they go forward,” for each year reminds us of the end, and where God has begun a good work, He will surely finish it. Therefore, may those of us who know something of this be found as poor humble suppliants at His blessed feet; may we receive grace and faith to look to Him, Who performeth all things, for if we may have an eye of faith upon the Lord, we shall like Peter be enabled to walk upon the waves. And this is the happiness we wish unto you above all other things, for though we wish every one a “happy” new year, that the Lord may bless the labor of our hands, that we may be spared from grief and sorrow, and should it be our portion to have things against us, yet says the man of old, “I know it shall be well with them that fear God.”—V.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van woensdag 1 januari 1941

The Banner of Truth | 16 Pagina's

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Bekijk de hele uitgave van woensdag 1 januari 1941

The Banner of Truth | 16 Pagina's