Happy New Year, America

Three months after France and Great Britain declared war on Germany, on Christmas Day 1939, King George VI broadcast an address to the nation. By this time, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland had already fallen to the overwhelming power of the Nazis. Rallying people amid the gathering darkness, the king concluded his speech with these words:

'A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle, we shall remain undaunted. In the meantime I feel that we may all find a message of encouragement in the lines which, in my closing words, I would like to say to you:

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.'"

Then the king said, "May the Almighty Hand guide and uphold us all.” It would be another six years of war before peace would come.

As George VI told his people, none of us know what the new year will bring. If it brings us resolutions, family near, safety, healing, prosperity, wholeness, joy, all the things, may we praise and thank Him.

But if it brings continued struggles, threats of famine and war, sickness or death, may we remain undaunted in our quest for peace, not because we are strong or because we have it in our own power to remain faithful, but because we know that we know that we know the heart of the One who leads us; the heart of God, for our God is as He says, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6). He is strong and more than able to keep us in His peace.

No matter what happens. May His heart and the peace He promises characterize our days.

From all of us here at TAC, we wish you and yours a prosperous and happy New Year.