You have not passed this way before…

His message was earnest and came from a lifetime of experience. It has stuck with me through the years. Whenever I find myself on the cusp of a major life change, whether it be moving away for university, getting married, or becoming a father, I find myself turning to this passage:

“Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you” (Joshua 3:4)

We can look forward confidently 

As the children of Israel stood on the banks of the Jordan, it would have been so easy to become overwhelmed. The unknown can be daunting. An unknown land, new enemies, and fresh battles all lay ahead. Yet they could cross it knowing that the God who had brought them out of Egypt, who preserved them through the wilderness, and who promised they would possess the land went before them. They knew from their experience that “he is faithful that promised” (Hebrews 10:23).

We stand at the outset of another year and none of us knows what lies ahead. It is a new year, we have not passed this way before. It is unknown territory. There is an enemy who seeks to halt our progress and deny us all the blessings we can enjoy as God's people. There will be battles ahead. However, our God goes before us. 

There is nothing uncertain about this year for the God of eternity. We can enter into a new year confident in His promises and His faithfulness. We can look back and rejoice that He has “begun a good work in [us]. We can look forward with hope that He “will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

We can look forward expectantly

The children of Israel were not only encouraged to go forward with confidence in the knowledge that God went before them, but they were also encouraged to expect that He would work wonders.

With a new year comes new opportunities. Do we expect God to work? If we expect Him to work, do we expect Him to work wonders? Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”.

With the command to expect God to work wonders came a command to “sanctify yourselves”. While there is a lot of uncertainty about a new year, one thing that is absolutely certain is the will of God for us: For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

As we step into a new year, let us do so with confidence that it is in God's hands, expectation that He will work, and resolve to sanctify ourselves so that we may enjoy the fullness of His blessing.