The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

I am aware that a blog about Christmas on New Year's Eve seems a bit odd, but that's the way 'random thoughts' work...they come from the strangest places.
This morning as I was getting dressed, the thought of the coming new year was on my mind. Usually, I'm quite hopeful about new years, but for some reason this morning I sensed a sort of foreboding that reminded me of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
For those who have never read the book, you really should give it a go sometimes. It is beautiful story with each character symbolizing so much. For example, the Ghost of Christmas Past is a mass of contradictions. He is old - yet young, winter - yet spring, filled with memories of happy times yet mingled with grief....he's a lot like most people's memories. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a giant, filled with the here and now...much like our days. At times it can be difficult to think of anything other than what you are dealing with right now...it seems like such a giant, yet like the Ghost of Christmas Present, it is short lived and come tomorrow, this day will be gone. Each day brings troubles of its own. Then there is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Of all the spirits, Scrooge fears this one most, and rightfully so. This Ghost represents the unknown....guess that's why it came to mind today on New Year's Eve.
We stand at the brink of a new year, a new decade, and no one can tell what the future will bring. It will certainly be filled with opportunity, and probably some sadness as well. There will be times of plenty, and times when our month lasts longer than our money. There will be change, and yet things will stay the same. To be honest, that makes me rather uncomfortable. I like routine. I like knowing what will happen next. I'm still busy dealing with the giant of today, I'm not ready for some unknown future!
In all this, I can have hope. For while I do not know what the future holds, I know who holds my future. I have a promise I can cling to: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Cor. 2:9
Come what may in 2010, God is still on the throne, He is still God, and I can trust in Him. Happy New Year to us all, and God bless us, everyone.