For the New Year

2013 has been challenging in several ways, certainly for us and probably for many others too. This John Newton hymn has been an encouragement to me, during the year. It was a joy to hear it announced in church,this week, in the Sunday morning service.

Perhaps not the most up-beat hymn for the New Year but full of true comfort from the Lord Jesus who says to His people, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Begone unbelief,

My Saviour is near,

And for my relief

Will surely appear:

By prayer let me wrestle

And He will perform,

With Christ in the vessel,

I smile at the storm.

Though dark be my way,

Since He is my guide,

'Tis mine to obey, 

'Tis His to provide;

Though cisterns be broken,

And creatures all fail,

The word He has spoken

Shall surely prevail.

His love in time past

Forbids me to think

He'll leave me at last

In trouble to sink;

Each sweet Ebenezer

I have in review,

Confirms His good pleasure

To help me quite through.

Determined to save,

He watched over my path,

When Satan's blind slave,

I sported with death;

And can He have taught me 

To trust in His name,

And thus far have brought me,

To put me to shame?

Why should I complain 

Of want or distress,

Temptation or pain?

He told me no less:

The heirs of salvation,

I know from His word,

Through much tribulation

Must follow their Lord.

How bitter that cup,

No heart can conceive,

Which He drank right up,

That sinners might live!

His way was much rougher,

And darker than mine;

Did Jesus thus suffer,

And shall I repine?

Since all that I meet

Shall work for my good,

The bitter is sweet,

The medicine is food;

Though painful at present,

Will cease before long,

And then, Oh how pleasant,

The conqueror's song!

If this all seems strange and unknown, do take a look at these video clips.

Wishing all my readers a truly happy New Year.