From 2021 to 2022

Once again, we have arrived the end of the year and the New Year 2022 is just around the corner. 2021 has been the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has been the year of vaccination for many. Personally, I had gone through three shots of COVID-19 vaccines (two standard shots with one booster shot). Even so, in all honesty, I still do not feel that I am not going to be infected with COVID-19 virus although I have to admit that the risk of dying from COVID-19 has been mitigated effectively, at least from the surface.

Time is life and it goes on with or without this pandemic that is looming over all of us. Thinking through how my life has been in 2021, I must say that I have to give thanks to the LORD for watching over me and my family, seeing us through each day of our lives. It is all by the grace of GOD which gives me the hope to face the challenges of my life. The struggles of walking in the flesh versus walking in the Spirit tarries on but one thing that I know I can hold on to is GOD’s forgiveness, love and mercy towards me. Not that I should take His grace for granted but I am becoming more aware of how weak I am and truly how much I am in desperate need of His grace demonstrated in Christ to be able to come before His presence.

Though He slay me,

I will hope in Him.

Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

This also will be my salvation,

For a godless person cannot come before His presence.

- Job 13:15-16

Only by Christ can I enter into GOD’s presence. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing because I am nothing but dust who is not even worthy to come before GOD. And dust will I return (Job 34:14-15, Ecclesiastes 3:20). In Christ, I now am able to come before GOD but on this side of heaven, my struggles of walking rightly with GOD are still very much alive. This is why I need to continue to practise penitence and obedience to GOD’s word daily as mentioned by Zophar the Naamathite:

If wrongdoing is in your hand, put it far away,

And do not let malice dwell in your tents;

Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral blemish,

And you would be firmly established and not fear.

For you would forget your trouble;

Like waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

Your life would be brighter than noonday;

Darkness would be like the morning.

Then you would trust, because there is hope;

And you would look around and rest securely.

-          Job 11:14-18

This is the area I would need to focus on not just in 2021 but also in 2022 and beyond, depending on the number of days that GOD has ordained me to live. In the coming New Year, there is the need for continued focus on the sanctification process in my Christian living before GOD (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8). This is truly what GOD’s will is and I need to understand it (Ephesians 5:15-17).

Granted, GOD is never obligated to bless anyone even if one stays true to penitence and obedience to Him a hundred percent (not that anyone can be so perfect in doing so in the first place!) because we all have fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). Therefore, there are definitely opportunities for GOD to pronounce sufferings on me which may or may not due to my disobedience. My response would have to be one that echoes Job 13:15, Though He slays me, I will hope in Him because He is my Only Hope.

As I approach 2022, I would like to be arriving with the constant meditation of the Gospel. Let’s remind ourselves once again the What, Who, When, Where, Why, How of this Good News:

What?

The Good News is about Jesus Christ. Christmas Day commemorates His Life, Good Friday commemorates His Death and Easter Day commemorates His Resurrection. This is like a 3-part trilogy series and all three events come together to tell the complete story of why only Jesus Christ is the spiritual vaccine approved and endorsed by GOD. 100% effective and proven over a long history of at least 2000 years. He is Our Only Hope.

Who?

Jesus Christ is the main character in the Good News because He is the Son of GOD (Luke 1:35) and the Son of Man (Mark 10:45). These dual identities prove that Jesus is fully GOD and fully Man at the same instance. Because of these dual identities that Jesus is, He is the Only person to be able to fulfil the role of atonement for all of us. Being fully GOD, Jesus is sinless and being fully man, He represents all of us before GOD. When Jesus lived out a sinless life and yet died on the Cross for our sins as punished by GOD, He atoned for all of us and saved our souls from GOD’s judgement on us.

When?

The happening of this good news segregated our human history to two different distinct eras – Before Christ (BC) and Anno Domini (AD) which means in the year of the LORD. My view is that this shows us that GOD is highlighting the importance of the person of Jesus in history. No other prominent human figure had been noted to split human history to different eras. A special time destined by GOD as spelt out by the Bible in Galatians 4:4-5.

Where?

Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, located in Palestine in His day. This is also mentioned in the word of GOD, Micah 5:2.

Why?

GOD is Holy and the Righteous Judge and He is angry with the wicked (all of us) everyday (Psalm 7:11). We as humans have sinned and fallen short of GOD’s glory (Romans 3:23). Because GOD made us, He own us and when we rebel (spiritual pandemic), we would bear the consequences that GOD has in place for us. GOD is impartial and so we are sure that we are going to be punished by Him for our rebelliousness. That punishment is the decimation of our souls in the lake of fire (Revelations 20:14-15). There is no escape route for all of us until GOD destined Jesus Christ, His Son to be the Only Hope of Salvation (1 Timothy 2:5) for us. Because of GOD’s love, grace is now extended to those of us who put our faith in Christ.

How?

How is the good news possible? The good news exists because of GOD’s love for all of us. Even though, GOD being Holy and the Righteous Judge cannot leave sin unpunished but GOD being love provided the only way for all of us to be pardoned and to be reconciled in our relationship with Him. The scene of Jesus being crucified at the cross had shown to all of us that GOD is the Righteous Judge who punishes sin and also that GOD is love by sacrificing His Only Son so that His Grace can be extended to all who believe in Jesus to be adopted as His children. Christians (the followers of Christ) are always thankful to GOD that He has provided all of us a way to salvation although it would have been much easier for GOD to just pronounce judgement directly instead. We are amazed that GOD could provide even this one and only way and it satisfied all of his characters – being Holy & Righteous and also being a GOD of love and mercy all at the same time.

A simple quote about our human life in general:

Life is Short,

Death is Sure.

Sin the Cause,

Christ the Cure.

Everyone needs Christ. As Christians, we need Christ to be the model of our lives so that we can strive to be like Him in how we behave towards others. To do so, we all need to preach the Gospel to ourselves afresh daily. The goal of Christian Living is to see GOD face to face and hear His praise that we are His good and faithful servants. Let’s press on in living out this goal in 2022.

Have a Blessed New Year.