Between the Years - A Devotion for New Year's Day

Our Lord and our God. We joy in Thee.

Without Thy Help we could not face unafraid the year before us.

I stand between the years.

The Light of My Presence is flung across the year to come -

the radiance of the Sun of Righteousness.

Backward, over the past year, is My Shadow thrown,

hiding trouble and sorry and disappointment.

Dwell not on the past - only on the present.

Only use the past as the trees use My Sunlight to absorb it,

to make from it in after days the warming fire-rays.

So store only the blessings from Me, the Light of the World.

Encourage yourselves by the thought of these.

Bury every fear of the future,

of poverty for those dear to you, of suffering, of loss.

Bury all thought of unkindness and bitterness,

all your dislikes, your resentments, your sense of failure,

your disappointment in others and in yourselves,

your gloom, your despondency, and let us leave them all,

buried, and go forward to a new and risen life.

Remember that you must not see as the world sees.

I hold the year in My Hands - in trust for you.

But I shall guide you one day at a time.
Leave the rest with Me.

You must not anticipate the gift by fears or thoughts of the days ahead.
And for each day I shall supply the wisdom and the strength.

I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12 (from God Calling)