Trusting in God's Strength in the New Year

After a lengthy time without updating my blog (December was very busy and flew by very fast!), I wanted to post a few things that have been an encouragement to me, and I hope for you as well.

The first is a sermon my pastor recently preached from Acts 4:21-31. How often do we rely on the feeble arm of mortal man instead of relying upon the all-sufficient arm of our Sovereign Lord! May we be found this coming year looking more and more to the hand of our Master before we do anything else, coming to His throne of grace in time of need with confidence and assurance!

This led me to think about the hymn "Our God Our Help in Ages Past":

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downward by thy flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Comforting and convicting at the same time!