Thought for the Month - January 2006

New Year - no fear! - By Pastor Ian Wilson

Most of us are afraid of the unknown and as we don't know what this year is going to bring then perhaps you face this New Year with some fear. I heard of some men years ago who were on a leaky old ship, in the middle of a rough and stormy sea. They were actually fearful for their lives, they didn't know whether they were going to sink or not. So one of them went in to see the captain and said, "Captain, are we safe?" He said, "Well, I'll put it to you this way". the boilers on this ship are very weak and may explode at any moment. Also, the ship is very old, and she's taking on water. To be very honest with you, we may have an explosion, or we may sink. We may go up, or we may go down, but at any rate, we are going on". And that's the way we are as we face this New Year.

We're facing a brand new year, and we don't know what it's going to bring. You know the old map makers, before they had the modern instruments that we have, when they would draw maps, they would draw maps as far out as they had been, as far out as they had explored, and then when they reached the nether point of their exploration, they had not known what would be beyond. And you can see this on old maps; they would write on them, "Beyond this, there may be dragons".

Now they'd never seen a dragon, but they didn't know what was out there. Because they were afraid of the future, afraid of the uncharted and afraid of the unknown. They feared, "Beyond this there'd be dragons".

It is possible however to face the New Year without fear. If you could find contentment, if you could have a companion who would always be with you and who would never let you down. A companion who is able to meet all your needs. If you could have this contentment and companion couldn’t you face the New Year without fear?

The one who gives contentment and the one who will be your companion is Jesus Christ. Will you invite him into your life? If you have Jesus Christ as your saviour you can face the New Year without fear. Read the following verses from Hebrews and you will see the truth of what I have said.

Hebrews 13:5-6 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. [6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me"

Happy New Year

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