2024! How can this be? Another year passed so quickly, and here we are at the beginning of another one, and we’re about to venture into the unknown!

How could any of us be reckless enough to live a single moment without being fully focused on the One who said to His trusting people: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”? Without our rock solid, and totally reliable Lord and Saviour who lives in us and goes before us, we would faint along the way, like many do!

There is an amazing account in Mark’s Gospel that I believe is in our Bibles to bring encouragement at such a time as the one in which we are living today.

Like those on the storm tossed boat, we also are on a journey through troubled waters. But let us not overlook what the Lord said about the journey they were about to take; He said: “Let us pass over unto the other side.” He had every intention to get to where He planned, and that is exactly what happened … with a little diversion along the way!

When God by His grace comes into the life of the one who trusts in Him, He gives to us something of far greater worth than an easy and trouble free pathway each day until we get to heaven. What would be the worth in that? How would we learn the treasures there are to learn without life’s trials and storms along the way? We would never learn how reliable our Lord and Saviour is if we were never forced to lean hard upon Him when times are rough!

So it is with His disciples; they would never have learned His ability to keep His Word even in dire circumstances had there not been a storm to reveal His incredible ability. What manner of Man is this indeed! He is the all sufficient One in all circumstances. And every true believer can honestly and humbly say: 

And by the time they reached ‘the other side’, they had a much deeper appreciation of who this incredible Man was.

But there is something else! We are not only on a journey; and how important it is to have the Lord on board, but we are also in a race! But the race we are in has been orchestrated by God Himself for us to win. Every one of us!

The writer of these words had just previously written about the faith of many of God’s people and their shining testimony as a result of their faithful walk with God, encouraging us to cast off all that which would hinder our walk with God.

He has already set before us the pathway we should travel, a race for us to run. This is not a sprint but a marathon. It is to be taken at a steady pace, one day at a time.

Sometimes the race is smooth going and we feel like we are doing really well, and other times running this race can feel like we’re running through quicksand; when all we can do is make the smallest move forward against such a great resistance, but at least you are going in the right direction. It matters not how slow our progress appears to be, all that matters is that our focus must be on Him Who knows all about our journey.

Whether or not the race or journey is difficult, one thing is certain, we will never travel all on our own. Our beloved Lord knows a rugged path, and He walked it faithfully. His great heart of love knew no limits, and His path took Him all the way to the cross! But forward He went knowing that the great reward in doing so for Him was to have those whom He loves to be with Him one day soon. All of the opposition He encountered along the way did not rob Him of the joy He anticipated as He saw ahead the fruit of His tremendous labour, and matchless work accomplished at Calvary.

Don’t allow yourself to grow weary or overcome at the threshold of 2024, but take courage dear soul in longing for our beloved to come and take us home to be with Himself.

Here are two things to encourage you right now: God has a special reward especially for those who are even longing in their heart for His appearing! “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4: 7-8. Also every day we wake up and He didn’t come yet is another day and opportunity to invest in eternity! What priceless opportunities these are at this late hour! “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6: 19-21.

And so, if we ‘press on’ faithfully, looking to Him to strengthen our resolve, and considering Him to refresh us when weary, we can take courage with His anticipated joy in our hearts that we will be with Him very soon. The end of the journey is just on the horizon … joy awaits!

🔸 In closing I trust that may you know how much of a true blessing it is to walk with the Lord and to run steadily the race He has set before you in …