AT THE start of a New Year there will be in magazines horoscope predictions speculating what will happen either next week or in the year ahead. New Year is a time when human-beings promise to turn over a new leaf.

However, due to unpredictable circumstances often fail to reach personal targets.

There may be a trouble mountain to climb or a valley of pain or loss to endure .

Thankfully God omnipresent holds the future in his hands.

We are required to forget former things and not to dwell on past achievements or rest on our laurels because God is doing a ‘new thing’ but should let His encompassing love lead us on.

The whole trend of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is a forward one.

Life is full of new beginnings, new opportunities, new challenges and new hope as we embrace Christ’s love anew.

Whether our personal ‘beginnings’ are large or small God continually has something ‘new’ for each individual that can arrive any time and anywhere.

This has eternal power and eternal light. He also revealed Himself in the Light of the World - Jesus.

Already the Light of His presence flings across the New Year to come and His shadow is thrown over the past year hiding troubles, sorrows and disappointments.

We are called to confidently proceed forward as Children of the Light reflecting Jesus whose acts are forever ‘new’ and whose mercies are ‘new’ every morning.

No threat to world peace can upset the plans He has for this strife-ridden planet in the New Year ahead.

The God of ‘new beginnings’ offers a fresh start by wiping one’s slate clean in order to face any new challenges .

Life is too short to drag the past into the future.

The flow of divine activity influences us from generation to generation, circumstances can be made to fit prediction but no-one can predict the circumstance.

God is the authentic source of information past, present and future.

Soon winter will draw to a close and daylight get longer allowing ‘new’ life to burst through nature.

In anticipation of what God may do in own life it is important to treat each new day as the first day of the rest of your life.

Joyfully and confidently put your hand in the hand of God and step into the New Year, 2O15, with hope in your heart and make it the best ever, Lord we pray “To see you more clearly, To love you more dearly and To follow you more nearly Day by Day."

June Pooley