Standing at the "Gate of the Year"

The poem by Minnie Haskins (1912) was originally entitled God Knows. It was the opening lines of King George VI Christmas address to the Nation in 1939. The then young Princess Elizabeth drew his attention to it.

 

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown".
And he replied:
"Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way".
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.  

 

 

Its sentiments are poetic but as I read it I thought about the year opening up for Linda and me. We moved to Cornwall in September last year with the intention of perhaps slowing down but open also to whatever God our Father has in store for us. I'm thinking about planting a garden, walking the cliffs and beautiful beaches of Cornwall which we will do but the end of the year brought amazing opportunities walking in unknown places and ministering in new contexts.  You can see the plan for the year that is emerging on our Comings and Goings page. 

 

The poem says,  "put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way."  This is why we do what we do, go where we go, say what we say.

 

I thought the reference to the East  in the poem was almost prophetic, as travels this year will take us east. Norway, Poland, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan in central Asia. Then there are the more familiar places in the UK and the USA.

 

We have consciously put our hands into the hand of God our Father in the coming year.

 

On a practical level,we are trusting him to provide for all that it takes to do these things.

 

I'm excited by the developments on the book front. The Big Picture was published in Polish last year and we are looking at its publication in German this year. The Story of Paul, The Early Years, is also being considered for publication in Polish this year. We shall watch with interest at what unfolds.

 

So as we stand at the beginning of another year we tread gladly into the night holding the hand of our Father. A very Happy New Year to you and those you love.