Psalm 31:14-15a – I trust in you, Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands. (NIV 2011)

As I look over the last year, I ask myself, What have I done that God would be pleased with? Yes, I know that my times are in His hands, so I ask, What is He expecting of me in this new year? I trust Him explicitly with it all, but when I look at various verses in the Bible, I don't find it very encouraging. For instance, Paul wrote, "Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork" (Ephesians 5:11 MSG). Yes, I know that a lot that I do is just busywork, but that is life today. We run around really busy, getting little done that God would approve of. I don't want to spend time just on busywork or only following my daily habits, so I vow to commit each day to the Lord, praying about it. I know that it will be all right, for God will redeem my time, along with all the rest of my life, even when it is packed with my foolishness.

The answer to life's foolishness is to talk to Christ Jesus about our days. In effect, He stands at the door of the year knocking, waiting to come in as He says in Revelation 3:20. Yes, Jesus offers to come in, to eat with us, and to lead us safely through 2016. His love and the close friendship of His Spirit help us always as we reach out to others with His love and faithfulness. We are not alone — not ever! It is true that our times are in His hands. Everything will work out blessed by His grace. We need to pray to Him, though, staying close beside Him as we walk together through the year.

Yes, our times are in His hands. That makes me feel really safe and beloved. God's gift of time is a marvellous gift which you and I have received. We give grateful thanks and set out joyfully into the new year with confidence, receiving God's gift. Our time is in His hands; we cannot make a mess of it, for Jesus has redeemed our lives with His own — and He is there beside us.

Prayer: O Lord, we love You. Our time here on earth is Your gift to us, and You have redeemed it with Your life. It is all in Your hands, otherwise it would overwhelm us. Time here on earth can be so fleeting that we lose track of it. Where did 2015 go? We gave it to You and now, we dedicate all that we did in Your name. We thank You for Your faithfulness through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who holds us in His powerful hands. Amen.

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