「从岁首到年终，耶和华你上帝的眼目时常看顾那地。」（申命记11章12节）

一去不返

美国加州的资深牧师司德曼（Ray Stedman）有一次对会众说：「比起一年中的其他日子，我们在除夕时，特别能感受到时间一去不复返……我们可以回顾和回忆，但是我们无法把逝去的任何一刻追回来。」

司德曼接着提到当以色列人在旷野流荡了四十年之后，来到应许之地的边界，正面对一个新的开始。然而，新的一代可能会怀疑自己是否真有足够的信心与毅力进到应许之地。

于是，他们的领袖摩西提醒群众，他们曾经「亲眼看见耶和华所做的一切大事」（申命记11章7节），而且他们的目的地是「耶和华你上帝所眷顾的，从岁首到年终，耶和华你上帝的眼目时常看顾那地。」（12节）

在除夕夜，我们可能会因为过去发生的事，而对未来感到害怕。不过我们不必被过去的记忆困绑，因为我们能靠主向前迈进。如同过去上帝看顾那地以及祂的百姓，祂的眼目现在也必看顾我们。

上帝在新的一年中，每一日都必信实地看顾我们。我们可以信靠这个应许。DCM

上帝恩手掌管明天，
每日赐下够用恩典；
凡事祂都温柔引领，
只要按照祂心意行。Rohrs

我们的未来如何，永恒上帝全掌管。

http://chinese-odb.org/zh-hans/

Point Of No Return

Longtime California pastor Ray Stedman once told his congregation: “On New Year’s Eve we realize more than at any other time in our lives that we can never go back in time. . . . We can look back and remember, but we cannot retrace a single moment of the year that is past.”

Stedman then referred to the Israelites as they stood on the edge of a new opportunity. After four decades of desert wanderings by their people, this new generation may have wondered if they had the faith and fortitude to possess the Promised Land.

Their leader, Moses, reminded them that they had seen “every great act of the Lord which He did” (Deut. 11:7) and that their destination was “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (v.12).

On New Year’s Eve, we may fear the future because of events in the past. But we need not remain chained to our old memories because we can move ahead focused on God. Just as the Lord watched over the land and His people, so His eyes will be upon us.

God’s faithful care will extend to every day of the new year. We can count on that promise. — David C. McCasland

God holds the future in His handsWith grace sufficient day by day;Through good or ill He gently leads,If we but let Him have His way. —Rohrs

The “what” of our future is determined by the “Who” of eternity.

http://rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/12/31/devotion.aspx