God's Favor In The New Year预览

“Even the hard pathways overflow with abundance” (Psalm 65:11 NLT).

No doubt, you and I will have to face some, if not many ‘hard pathways’ in the year ahead. It’s part of life. But, the Psalmist says, “Even the hard pathways overflow with abundance”. This statement must be looked at in the agricultural setting in which it was written. God’s abundance is spoken of here, even in the most difficult moments or seasons and in the hard, dry places. We should not worry therefore when difficult times come, for as someone said,

‘If God takes us on stony paths, He will fix us with strong shoes’!!

Right now, I remember 2013. It was a challenging year for my family from a health perspective as I had to go through 2 surgeries in the space of 3 months. It was truly a ‘hard pathway’. A few months later, my wife was hospitalized with Dengue Fever which was quite scary for a few days. Thank God, He brought us through it and we saw His blessing and favor in the midst of the ‘hard pathways’.

This Psalm speaks about abundance, after a dry season. Maybe the past year has been a ‘dry season’ for you; for your ministry. If so, can we believe together that you will see ‘God’s abundance overflowing in the hard pathways’ in the New Year?

As we prepare our hearts to see Psalm 65:11 fulfilled in 2018, let’s follow these words of advice I came across in a bulletin. 

‘To achieve spiritual success, do not forget to give God the first hour of the day, the first day of the week, the first part of every paycheck, the first consideration in every decision, and the first place in your heart.’ - That’s a great way to start and to live through the year ahead!!

May you receive ‘God’s crown of goodness and a bountiful harvest in the new year’, and may you see ‘His abundance overflowing even in the hard pathways’. Have a blessed and Christ-filled 2018!! 

Prayer

Jesus, may I trust you in the ‘hard pathways’ ahead of me, so that I may see your blessing in the midst of them.