“A New Beginning for a New Destiny.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28

Each new year places us on a new trail.  In the year before we left a trail that others will follow.   Whatever we did or said left a clearly marked path of deeds and misdeeds that will be recited, rehearsed, and studied by others curious about the path we walked.  Such trails cannot be hidden.  Where we have trod, the lives we have touched and the way we touched them cannot be relived, retouched or repeated.  Last year’s trail, with it strange twists of successes and failures, glories, and embarrassment have been permanently recorded in the annuals of history.

 Today we stand on new ground.  There is no trail for us to follow because no one has passed this way before.  At the beginning of each new year we become trailblazers, going into new frontiers where no man has been.  We don’t know what lies beyond the next horizon.  If asked to go back, we know that trail well, because we have walked that path before.  However, faced with the prospect of the future many are uneasy.   News report of job layoffs, and expected difficulties give reason for apprehension.  The prospect of clearing a path and making a trail through hostile territory is often unsettling.  Breaking new ground on the frontier will be challenging but it will be a “happy trail” filled with victory, joy, and happiness.  We have been given the right to expect success by our Lord who has given us the victory.  We expect joy because we know that all things will work to the good of them that love the Lord according to His purpose.  Regardless to what we encounter along the way we will count it all joy.

 Many people are creatures of habit and travel the same ground routinely.  Some travel at a slow peace, going around in circles slowly, while other travel at the speed of a race horse on the track, but nevertheless traveling the same ground, just faster.  A new year for such individuals comes as just another page torn from the calendar, crumbled away and tossed into the basins of time.  Since they plan to do the same this year as they did last year with little change, the New Year is a pleasant novelty that brings inspiration but little impetus for apprehension,  since they have few plans of changing their course. 

 There are other who are taking a new path in life together and are uncertain about the future.  Some young couples are making important decisions about life, career, and family.  Those leaving school are preparing for a totally different experience.  Those who are just entering are dealing with the butterflies in their soul as they face the unknown.  Some are traveling this new path along and have not fully adjusted to their new walk.

 While the path for some may not change, they share the same dilemma as those facing a new direction.  The path itself may not  change but what lies around the corner makes even the well traveled path an unknown path because we face unseen dangers.  Unseen dangers make all of us cautious about the future.  Even if you walk the same path, it is a trail which has never been blazed before.  The traveler on the Jericho road knew the road well, but he never knew when the highway man would attack and make him a charity case for the Good Samaritan.  Likewise, we don’t know what the future holds for us although we may follow our same routine faithfully.  We may begin the journey and stumble along the way, or find new strength and climb even higher. 

 Each day of our lives is actually the first day of the rest of our life.  Each day God protects us from and through unseen dangers, just today, we could better understand the nature of our journey, then we would know the many ways that God has already made our journey safer because we are under his protective care.

 As Christians we have a right to expect “happy trails” this year.  We serve a God who helped us blaze unknown trails, in years past and He is the same today as He was yesterday.   As long as God is still on the throne, we should not worry about the future or what it will bring because He is  still in control. 

 Happy Trails and Happy New Year.

 ²Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.  3 John 1:2