Look to God to keep you in 2021!
“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8)
People are saying that they want 2020 to end and that they won’t look back. Although we can agree that 2020 has been a difficult year, what assurance do you have that things will go well in 2021? Who will you be looking to for guidance, strength, and support as you go through 2021?
The promise of our gracious God in the verses above reminds us that we need to always look first and foremost to him. He promises us two things in these 2 verses from Psalm 121 – protection and care.
- Protection: Some might look at the first promise that God makes—“The Lord will keep you from all harm”—and burst out with “Really?” They might point to the many people who have died from COVID and the many, many more who have contracted the virus in some form, and they may question how someone can even think that God kept all of these people from harm. This is a reminder to us that the way in which God keeps his promises and answers our prayers does not always take the form that we like think or think it will. Sometimes God takes someone to heaven to keep him or her from greater earthly harm – either spiritually or physically. Sometimes the reason God allows a difficulty or problem to come into our lives is to lead us to look to him because we’ve drifted away from him.
- Care: God’s ultimate promise of “keep you from all harm” is shown as we look at the cross and see God’s guarantee that he keeps us from the eternal harm of hell. So often we look at things in a very limited way and fail to see things from God’s perfect perspective. Instead of questioning God, we need to seek to understand and look at things from his perspective, knowing that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). Think of all of the other ways that God has provided for you: a home, a family, food on the table, and things to sustain you day after day. I know that this sounds like a list we might review at the end of November at Thanksgiving, but it is just as important to review as we head into a new year. The list is a visual reminder that God kept his promise of watching over you and giving you everything you need. No, we don’t necessarily have everything we want, but God kept his promise of giving you “daily bread” and has kept you on the road to heaven.
So, what will 2021 bring? None of us could have imagined what 2020 brought, but nonetheless, God kept his promise of protecting you as he knows best and providing for your daily needs. Look to God to keep you in the same way in 2021!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as I end one year and begin a new year that holds for me things that are unknown, teach me to look to you. Teach me to look to you, my perfect Father, knowing that as you have kept all of your promises in the past, I can know that you will continue to do that. Remind me of all that I have because Jesus is my Savior, and help me to look to you for strength and protection in all things. I humbly ask this in the name of my Savior, Jesus. Amen.