Today we look forward to the coming new year in our writing, "YEAR OF FAVOR." This is the time of year that many look back at things that have happened over the past year, and think ahead to the coming year and what it might have in store. Read below to find out how your year can unfold.
Blessings,
Jan
P.S. Please keep Corinne in your prayers as she heals from a broken and dislocated shoulder!
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Today's Devotional:
"YEAR OF FAVOR"
by
Jan Andersen
This year is fast coming to a close. As we look back at the past year, we may have a different views as to whether it was a good or a bad year overall. Some of us may have had great joys and amazing moments of happiness. Others may have struggled through, each day dragging on for what seemed forever. A few probably had devastating things happen to them or their family or friends, loss of health or even deaths of loved ones. We only need listen or read the news to know that the whole world is suffering great calamities, both from nature and from sinful human doing. Every one of us struggles daily with sin.
Now we are looking toward a new year this week. Most of us hope for it to be a healthy or prosperous or happy year. Some will be satisfied for it just to not be devastating in some way, or to survive it one day at a time. Those dealing with the fresh loss of a loved one can see broken-hearted sadness approaching due to daily reminders of their loss. Others don’t give the new year much thought at all. Time marches on, and it seems as though every year brings greater decline of morals and world suffering. And we continue to struggle with our own sinful thoughts and actions.
No matter what our past year brought us, or what our new year promises or threatens, we can be thankful that our God is with us through it all. Having just celebrated this past week the coming of our God to earth in human form, we can rejoice that this Jesus personally knows our suffering and anticipates our every need, and He promises to walk us through anything that comes. He expressed that He came to help us when he went to the synagogue and read from the scriptures in Isaiah:
Luke 4: 17-21 ESV And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”… [And He said,] “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
We are in the “year of the Lord’s favor” now, ever since He died on the cross in our place. But many question why things aren’t all that good here on earth and seem to be worsening. God doesn’t promise to remove all trials, tribulations and temptations, but He does promise to walk us through and provide a way out. The good news is that we have the free gift of everlasting life in heaven through our faith in Jesus, who helps us through our difficulties in this life. Nothing can snatch that from our hand unless we lose faith and deny Christ. What a blessed hope we have of life with Him in heaven!
Thank you, Lord, for showing us your favor. Help us to face our trials without fear, knowing that you are always there with us, helping us to make it through. May our own fearlessness in times of trouble witness to others of your amazing love and mercy. Help us to bring others to you so that they, too, may be set free. In Your name we pray, AMEN.
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Song:
MADE NEW
Lincoln Brewster
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Prayers are lifted up daily for you
by the Devotional Writers and the Monthly Writing Staff
of Women's Focus Ministries.
Blog Writers:
Jan Andersen, Sandy Billingham, Carol Steficek,
Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward, Karen Bennett,
Bre Miller, Cathy Friberg, and Corinne Mustafa
Elizabeth McElderry, Betty Espindola, Lynda Kinnard
Amie Spruiell, and Debbie Rodriguez
Elizabeth McElderry, Betty Espindola, Lynda Kinnard
Amie Spruiell, and Debbie Rodriguez
Occasional Contributors:
Kathy Bireley, Terri Baker, Beverley Napier,
Kelly Dobyns, Glenna Williamson,
Kelly Dobyns, Glenna Williamson,
Amie Spruiell, and Lisabeth Lipp.
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