2021, the year that most of us, if not all of us have been looking forward to is here. The year of new beginnings and new resolution. The year of hope and lessons from 2020. As we enter this new year (2021), I would like us to reflect and ponder on our plans deeply and seriously consider the will of God in our lives.
New Beginnings & Resolutions
As it is our custom, year in year out, we make new resolutions and beginnings at the beginning of every year. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they do not. And I am almost sure that most of us have made resolutions once again because they could not work out last year since 2020 was a very unusual year. As we are making our resolutions, be it for personal development, business, savings, family holidays etc. I would like us to keep in mind that there is an ultimate resolution that every human being needs to keep on top of his/her list. Time is running out, and if your memory is good enough you can remember the 2011 or 2012 new year celebration. By the way, that was a decade ago, but it sounds like yesterday. My point is this, we keep making earthly resolutions and new beginnings while time is running out and we neglect our spiritual lives, we neglect our relationship with Christ. I would like to challenge you to make it your ultimate resolution this year to work on your relationship with Christ and to read good Christian books (We will have some book reviews on the blog). Let us make it our goal this year to faithfully have a quality quiet time with God, may we be like that blessed man in Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who walks not in a counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners…but his delight is in the law of the LORD and on his law he meditates day and night.”. May we strive to serve in our local churches faithfully. Let us make our ultimate resolution to live for our King, the Lord Jesus Christ like never before, even amid the COVID-19 uncertainties.
A Lesson from 2020
Even though 2020 has been a difficult year, as Christians we have a lot to learn from it. As C. S. Lewis put it, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. Thus, God has been speaking
Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand”. I cannot think of a better illustration of this verse than the year 2020. Many planned but after all it is the will of the Lord that stands.
James 4:15, “Instead you ought to say, ‘if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that”. Rarely do we use and honestly believe this verse. Overall, it has been a reminder that we do not run this world, but God does.
Finally, I hope that you have noticed that no amount of money/wealth or material is huge enough to secure you ultimate security, even from the dangers of this world. That being the case, will any thing secure you from the wrath of God? Absolutely not!
Hope Beyond New Year’s Hope
A lot has happened in 2020, some lost family members, some jobs, and others businesses all due to COVID-19. Our hope has been that 2021 will be a better year and we will try again, a year of hope and restoration my prayer is God will be good to us and give us hope and restore our lives materially for us to be able to feed ourselves and family this year.
But there is another hope that is beyond New Year’s hope, the hope that is based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Roman 5:1-5). The hope that helps us to fix our eyes on Christ through all sufferings this broken world can offer, and this faith enables us to look forward to the restoration of this universe as explained in Revelation 21:1-8. The hope that makes all present suffering to be small specks of dust compared to the eternal glories (Romans 8:18). May our ultimate hope be that of spending eternity with our King in the soon coming world where there is no death, no mourning, no pain, no sickness, no hunger, no bankruptcy, no joblessness, etc. for former things will pass away.
Conclusion
Grace to the Nation blog team would love to wish you a Happy New Year. As you make resolutions, please keep in mind the ultimate resolution of prioritizing your relationship with God. May you hope in the hope that is beyond new year’s hope. And finally, may you keep in mind lessons from 2020.
Grace to the Nation 