For the New Year

As the year 2008 has left us, and we enter 2009, there are two things that come to mind. First of all we have grown older by another year, and secondly we are one year closer to the coming of our Lord.

This is now the time to ponder upon how far we grown in the likeness of our Master Jesus Christ and how much He could use us in His service in the year 2008. “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all ...” (Psalm 145:8, 9). We can testify that He has been good, we were well protected and taken care of all our needs in the year 2008. He was good in spite of our unfaithfulness. That is the nature of God.

What have we done? As we have grown older in our physical age, have we grown older in Spiritual age? Have we been able to walk in Him? Walking is a progress, a forward journey. How much have we been able to progress in our spiritual life? There are many questions which we have to answer ourselves. Witnessing Christ to others is our duty, but showing and living Christ in our life is our way of spirituality.

The other thing that we anticipate is the coming of our Lord. His coming is joyous to us but it also a time to receive our rewards. The Bible says: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body” (2 Cor 5:10). The judgment seat of Christ is a reality and we have to stand before him is a fact. So let us fear the judgment seat of Christ with a reverential fear and live a life that gives God the preeminence and Glory.

If God wills and as we see another year, let us progress in our spiritual life, and anticipate His coming and have reverential fear of the judgment seat of Christ.

Dear Lord, we want to be more like You in our earthly life 2009. Amen

A.A.H.