Happy New Year!

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 ESV).

The Tipton House in Cades Cove, tucked away in the Smoky Mountains, seems to be a great picture to begin our New Year together. And, the first chapter of Joshua seems to be a great way to begin our readings for this New Year. I must admit that the previous year has been an interesting year for me. The Lord continues to remind me of the truth of this great promise given to Joshua as he sets out to lead the nation into the Promised Land. I suppose we need to remember that even four decades later, Joshua would have had no trouble remembering the “giants in the land” he and the other spies saw. He would have remembered the discussion and ultimate decision not to go in because of the seemingly impossible odds of winning a war to conquer the land. Yet, a calm strength was conveyed to him in these words. Much like the fresh fallen snow in this wintry picture of one of my favorite places, he knew that God would be with him and that brought him tranquility in the midst of the noise of the world. Undoubtedly you have already conveyed your well-wishes of a "Happy New Year!" to many people. However, as we begin a new year, we all need more than a hopeful greeting. I am again reminded that we need to hear this incredible truth again. The noise of the world told Joshua of the enormity of his task; it shouted his vulnerability and weakness. He needed God's encouragement. Don’t we? There are many more questions ahead of us than there are answers. Will our health hold? Will our marriage last? Will I be able to hang on to my job? Will I get into the right school? Will I live to see the end of this year? Will the economy improve? Will there be a terrorist attack or some natural disaster that takes me or my loved ones? The future is nothing if it is not filled with uncertainty; and, yet, the Lord comes to us and says, "Don't be afraid; don't be discouraged." What happens in this coming year is not left to chance. God is in charge, and he promises to stay close: "The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Many years after Joshua leads them across the Jordan, Jesus made the same promise when he said, "I am with you always" (cf. Matthew 28:20). That is what we may truly KNOW about the future. We are never left alone. He is with us and will never leave us. So, imagine yourself in your favorite place, surrounded with the calm and tranquility of what is best in your life. That is what awaits you. No calamity is so strong as to stand between Jesus and us! Happy New Year!