HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2021

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Josh 1:8

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

 

           Everyone wants 2021 to be a year filled with prosperity and “good success.” Last year has taught us that nobody seems to have a reliable formula for making it happen. However, our text does seem to present a usable and reasonable formula. Certain aspects of this verse need a closer look.

 

           The “book of the law” clearly means the Bible. We have tried so many things without success it certainly wouldn’t hurt to try God’s operating manual for life. It is recommended that we not only read it but ponder it and practice it.

 

           The phrase “make thy way prosperous” is translated from a single Hebrew word. The word tsalach means “to push forward.” Isn’t that what we want to do?

 

           The phrase “good success” seems to be a double positive and, in the Hebrew, the qualifying word “good” is absent. Success is the Hebrew word sakal and it literally means “to walk circumspectly and make good decisions.” You can’t make bad decisions and expect good success!

 

Deut 30:8-9

8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.

9 And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:

 

Dear Lord, I see that good success is a conditional blessing that requires much of me. Help me today and throughout this year to make good decisions. AMEN