Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home.
We turned the page on a new year last night. 2016! I probably need to get use to that. The old adage is "Another Day, Another Dollar." I like to think the same thing applies as we turn the page on another year. Time rolls on and God's blessings remain the one constant.
I could not help but ponder the third line of the hymn above last Saturday night, as kept an eye on the weather. As it was the storm changed directions and the tornadoes touched down south and east of us. Probably appropriate that the weather was major story in the DFW area to end the year, considering we set an all-time record for rain and flooding in 2015. It was not just the weather that made news last year. There was much that was unsettling. There were more mass shootings and terrorist attacks. Racial tensions again heightened and there was a new theme: Black Lives Matter.
I could not help but ponder the third line of the hymn above last Saturday night, as kept an eye on the weather. As it was the storm changed directions and the tornadoes touched down south and east of us. Probably appropriate that the weather was major story in the DFW area to end the year, considering we set an all-time record for rain and flooding in 2015. It was not just the weather that made news last year. There was much that was unsettling. There were more mass shootings and terrorist attacks. Racial tensions again heightened and there was a new theme: Black Lives Matter.
As we head into 2016, we anticipate an election year, and I for one do not feel comfortable with any of the front-running candidates. The economy seems to again be in a state of flux. We continue to live with the threat of homeland terrorist. Internationally there continues to be strife in the Middle East and hunger and health are still an issue in Africa and other part of the world. We can also anticipate a continued shift in the moral climate. Same-sex marriage is legal and Caitlyn Jenner has become a role model for a new generation. What is to come in 2016? Could things get even worse?
When it comes to the world around me I can pass it off as it is what it is. But I can also say the same thing about God: He is who he is. The years role on and our God remains the one constant. I might age and my life situation might change, but my God remains the same. I mess up: He forgives. I continue to live under God's grace, and in the end that is all that matter.
In our complex and changing world, it is our responsibility to live each day confidently and boldly. That should always be our testimony and witness. Complaining about the way things are will not win us friends among the younger generation. I also think it is offensive to God. Remember Jesus' words, "In this world you will have trouble. Take heart! I have overcome the wold." (John 16:33) The way we convey our hope and faith through our actions will always speak louder than our words.
Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come;
be thou our guide while troubles last,
and our eternal home.
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