Exhortation for the new year !
Year 2020 is about to end, and in just a few more days we enter into a new year of 2021. Year 2020 in general has been a challenging year for many. We faced a worldwide Pandemic crisis called Covid 19, it affected many nations and people. Economies were affected as people were losing jobs and businesses were being closed down. Nations were in locked down, people had nowhere to go, those who still had jobs had to work from home, apart from those who are in essential services. Places of worship were closed, people of various faith could not celebrate their religious festivals like in the past. Many of us Christians could not return to church to celebrate Good Friday, and most of us have to turn to attending online services, which is not quite like the real thing. It is a real bummer not to be able to be in a physical church to have fellowship with your fellow brother and sisters. All meetings have turned to using online platform such as zoom or Goggle meet.
Places of entertainments were all closed, airports were shut, travel industries were in trouble, eateries and restaurants couldn’t operate as normal but we suddenly see a new type of industries that surged and was at its peak and that is the demand of food delivery.
The world suddenly came into a standstill, when the country was in lockdown. A lot of things were restricted, old operations had to be changed, new norms were set in place, a lot of things were different and many people are seen struggling to adapt to the new norms. Most of us managed to survive through 2020, though not all. We should be thankful if we still have a job and a healthy body that can allow us to continue working.
There are many ways of movement: crawl, tip-toe, stomp, run, sprint, stagger, hobble, slide ,hop, jump, leap, soar, fly, glide, slider, wobble, swim, jerk… No matter which way you chose to move, the most important thing to remember is that we do not stay stagnant no matter how hard life is. No matter how you moved through 2020, whether we walked or crawled, leaped or staggered our way through, we have to keep ourselves moving until we cross 2021 and we continue to move until our last breath.
No matter how hard life is, as long as we have breath, as long as we have to chance to see another sunrise, we still have hope.
I remember one hymn I learnt in school that I will always treasure –
I don’t know about tomorrow
I just live for day to day
I don’t borrow from the sunshine
For it’s skies may turn to gray
I don’t worry o’er the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today I’ll walk beside Him
For He knows what lies ahead
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand
Ev’ry step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb
Ev’ry burden’s getting lighter
Ev’ry cloud is sliver lined
There the sun is always shining
There no tear will dim the eye
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountain touch the sky
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand
For us who are Christians, although we have a world of uncertainty that is ahead of us, we can have hope that although we don’t know about tomorrow, we can have faith that Jesus is always there and before us to guide us. Hebrews 13:8 gives us the assurance that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. And as the Lord has spoken to us in the following verses (Matt 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”, we know for sure that the word of the Lord stands eternal and as Isaiah 55: 11 puts it, “So it is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” What has the Lord promised you in the year 2020, as you read His word? God is promise keeper, He will do it in His own time.
As a closing reminder and exhortation, we turn to Isaiah 40:28-31, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak, even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Don't get tired of moving, but continue to hope in the Lord and let him carry us in his wings and we will soar like eagles. Let us all continue to hold on to Jesus and let Him guide us through the unknown future, He will not fail us!
Serving with you in His Kingdom with love;
Princess Michelle
Beloved Daughter of the Most High King
