Welcoming the New Year

Walking along the brightly-lit path was a challenge for the blind man. He couldn't see the rocks in front of him or know the danger of the slippery slope on one side. He didn't notice the people who rushed past him, or recognize the boys who shoved him aside. But each time he fell down, he reached for the hand that helped him up, and continued walking.

Through wind and rain he trudged onward. Through snow and ice he kept moving until he reached the goal. When he stepped across the finish line, people cheered. His children hugged him. Friends patted him on the back.

A small child stood off to one side, watching. When the noise quieted down, she walked over to the blind man and took hold of his hand. Pulling him aside, she whispered something into His ear. The man smiled, and said, "Yes." Then the girl whispered something else. The man said, "Yes," again. The child giggled and skipped off to play.

A lady standing next to the man asked him what the child wanted. He replied, "She asked me if I knew Isaiah 42:16."

The woman pressed him for more information. "What is Isaiah 42:16?"

The man cleared his throat, and said, "The Lord said, 'I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.'"

"Oh," the lady replied. "What else did the child ask you?"

The man smiled. "She wanted to know if Jesus Christ was my Savior, and I told her that He was."

May you walk into the New Year with confidence that the Lord will lead you through the storms of life. May you know that Jesus Christ will never forsake you, no matter who you are, or what you did, or what situation you are in. Whether you are sick or healthy, rich or poor, blind or have good eyesight, the Lord will lead you onward and teach you His ways, so you can be filled with peace. And when you receive God's peace, you can bring peace to every situation, and watch God's glory overshadow the darkness.

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