All His precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness. Psalm 111:7-8.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

I looked up the word precepts…”A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.” In the AI Overview: “In the Bible, precepts are divine commandments, rules or instructions given by God to guide people in moral conduct and righteous living. They serve as authoritative guidelines for living according to God’s will, helping believers understand His character and follow His path. The concept is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms and Torah, but it is also reflected in the New Testament through the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.” Think of all the ideas of men throughout all the ages. Think of all the conflicting and confusing ideologies of men today that cannot stand the test of time and truth. And through it all, all that Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, has shared with us anchors us in what is true and steady. And in our chapter, Romans 12, Paul is encouraging the church in Rome and by extension all of us, in what is true and good for all time. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

If we read each sentence slowly and with all the experiences of our lives lived in this world as it is, is there anything truly that contradicts the wisdom of all that God is teaching us? Simple trust in all that is Good. And as we see and experience all that is Good in God, we see clearly Whom we need to follow. He will walk with us through everything we experience in this world. And turning to Him for help is our hope. We will have troubles in this world because this world is beset by the troubles and problems we bring, that are influenced by the evil one who seeks to enslave us in all the evil of his hatred for God and God’s holiness. But we have this promise…And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4 NKJV. Imagine all that needs to pass away. Imagine the healing that will take place in our hearts and minds and spirits. Creator God knows all the pain we have suffered and endured. And He shows us how to draw near to Him now and live our lives in a way that brings His peace to bear as He walks with us through every need. The problems press in. Trusting Him and His love opens up in us a spacious place with Him where His peace can work to bring reassurance and hope that we do not walk alone. And shows us we were never meant to walk without Him. There is something so amazing when we find God. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation! Old things have passed away…behold…all things have become new! I titled this blog To Take The Hand Of God because when we reach that place of deep need where everything in this world and in us alone fails us, we have a place prepared for us…our personal deep close and intimate relationship with Almighty Creator God who loves us and will not leave us alone, for in truth, we never were alone. We are His creation created in deep Love. We are His and blessing of blessings…He is ours! Time is on His side for He is eternal. He can wait patiently for us to awaken to His love and His help. And then we see and realize for the first time, just how many – and all the times – He has been there for us we never knew. He knows! And then we can take His hand and walk with Him in simple trust and newness of life lived with Him. And oh how we each of us need that – because until He calls us Home, we will still live in a world broken by evil and doubt. And there is comfort in knowing He is with us always through everything.