在1939年二戰爆發初期，英王喬治六世在聖誕節的廣播中，鼓勵英國和英聯邦的子民信靠上帝。他引用了他母親很欣賞的一首詩中的詩句：「走進黑暗吧，把你的手交在上帝的手裡。對你來說，這比光明更好，比已知的路更安全。」英王喬治六世不知道新的一年會是什麼情況，但他相信，上帝會在未來充滿憂患的日子裡引導和支持他們。

聖經中有多處經文都提及「上帝的手」，其中包括以賽亞書。上帝透過先知以賽亞，呼籲祂的子民相信祂是那位創造主，「是首先的，也是末後的」（以賽亞書48章12節），而且祂一直與他們同在，看顧保守他們。上帝說：「我的手奠定了大地的根基，我的右手展開了諸天」（13節，新譯本）。上帝的子民應全心信靠上帝，而非指望其他缺乏能力的人事物。畢竟，上帝才是他們的「救贖主──以色列的聖者」（17節）。

無論新的一年我們會面對什麼情況，我們都可以聽取英王喬治六世和先知以賽亞的勉勵，全心信靠上帝，並以上帝為我們的盼望。那麼，我們也同樣能經歷平安就像河水滔滔，「公義就如海浪滾滾」（18節，新譯本）。

In 1939, with the recent outbreak of war for Britain, King George VI sought in his Christmas Day radio broadcast to encourage citizens of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth to put their trust in God. Quoting a poem that his mother found precious, he said: “Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. / That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.” He didn’t know what the new year would bring, but he trusted God to “guide and uphold” them in the anxious days ahead.

The image of God’s hand appears in many places in the Bible, including in the book of Isaiah. Through this prophet, God called His people to trust that He as their Creator, “the first and . . . the last” (Isaiah 48:12), would remain involved with them. As He says, “My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens” (v. 13). They should put their trust in Him and not look to those less powerful. After all, He’s their “Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (v. 17).

Whatever we face as we look toward the new year, we can follow the encouragement of King George and the prophet Isaiah and place our hope and trust in God. Then, for us too, our peace will be like the river, our “well-being like the waves of the sea” (v. 18).