Another year is here: 2021! What a year we have left behind. I was looking at the Seed Thoughts I had written in the January 2020 issue. I had admonished people to have more personal contact and show acts of kindness. Of course, I was unaware of what the year held. We experienced many days of being at home together.
Families were looking for activities to occupy their homebound children. It thrilled me when I would go down the toy aisle and find empty shelves where all the board games and puzzles were normally stocked. My husband and I like to put puzzles together, so I decided to go online and purchase some. Even the puzzle companies online were out of stock. Though I was disappointed I could not purchase a puzzle, I was excited that finally people had slowed down enough to have some family time.
Going to the grocery store was an experience in its own right. Not only were paper towels and toilet paper a rare find, but many of the items most people use to cook with were gone as well. I realized we were all forced to cook at home since restaurants were closed. My husband enjoyed home-cooked meals, and it certainly honed my cooking skills.
As 2021 began approaching, I was reflecting upon all the uncertainties that 2020 had brought. In my devotional time I asked the Lord, “What about 2021?” He often answers me by bringing lyrics of songs to my mind.
All of a sudden, I began singing a song I had not thought of in years. Some of the lyrics say this: “He’s got the whole world in His hands. He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands. He’s got you and me, sister, in His hands. He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands. He’s got the whole world in His hands.”*
When we get into the boat with Jesus, we can trust His words, “Let’s cross to the other side.”
I realized God was saying, “Quit worrying about what 2021 may hold. I’ve got everyone in My hand. And as long as you allow Me to have you in My hand, you will make it through the year.”
I realize many are questioning and wondering how long this pandemic will last and its far-reaching effects. There are reports of many that have succumbed to drugs, alcohol, suicide, and depression. That is exactly what the enemy would like. John 10:10 (AMP) puts it this way, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”
The enemy would love to keep you in a state of fear. Second Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) declares, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Do not allow fear to control your life and keep you from enjoying an abundant and joyful life. I encourage you to place your trust in the Heavenly Father. He is here to take care of you.
I think about the story in Mark 4:35–40 (NLT), “As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.’ So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’ When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ ”
When Jesus spoke the words “Let’s cross to the other side,” He knew they would reach the other side regardless of circumstances. Obviously, the disciples did not have faith in those words, or they would not have been concerned about the storm.
When we get into the boat with Jesus, we can trust His words, “Let’s cross to the other side.” I love the hymn, “ ʼTis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His Word. Just to rest upon His promise. Just to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ ”?
I encourage you to put your complete trust in the Lord this year, as truly He does have the whole world in His hands.
*An African-American spiritual that was first published in Spirituals Triumphant, Old and New in 1927.
† “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” Lyrics by Louisa M.R. Stead, c. 1850–1917.
Author
Lynette Hagin
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