JANUARY FROM OUR PASTORS

2021 IS HERE! 

Most if not all of us are happy that 2020 is over. 

I remember seeing a post on instagram with a dad and his baby girl who is a toddler. At the beginning of the video the dad was walking and pushing a shopping cart while his baby girl, who by all accounts just started walking, was holding onto the bottom of the cart smilingly assisting her dad to push the cart, seemingly because she probably thought she was the one doing all the work. Moments later in the video post, the baby girl was on her knees, still holding on to the cart while her dad pushed it along. I could not help but literally laugh out loud. Perhaps she ran out of steam after all, she just started walking. I thought that was it for the video but as I watched on my laughter became a belly roll because this little baby was now flat on her stomach, still holding on to the cart as her dad pushed it along. Can you imaging the scene? 

First she was walking while pushing the cart, next she was crawling while pushing the card, and finally she was lying down while “pushing the cart. Then the caption came up — “Me at the beginning of 2020, me at the middle of 2020, me at the end of 2020.” 

Most of us were excited at the possibilities of entering into a new decade. But, this decade caught us all off guard, and 2020 was turbulent all the way to the end. Many of us starting off walking, then kneeling as we tried to press on through it, and many of us ended it just flat out on our bellies. Between the tandem, the political unrest, and the racial unrest to say 2020 was crazy would be the understatement of the decade. Nevertheless, here we are — it’s 2021. 

Many of us are hoping that the baggage of 2020 will be left in 2020. The reality is, however, 2021 is not a magic number or year. Any unresolved baggage from last year and previous years will follow us in 2021. BUT, the GOOD NEWS IS, JESUS CHRIST! Jesus — the epitome of all that is good, the source of hope and amazing possibilities — is already here in 2021. Jesus Christ has not changed, and His resolve to journey into our chaos and sort and remedy our baggage for us and with us has not changed either. His love knows no bounds. 

Another good thing is that we know what baggages we are bring with us and therefore we know what to commit to our Lord Jesus Christ in prayer. Christ doesn’t want us to be oblivious to our circumstances, but neither does He want us to allow our circumstances to cause us to fear and lose hope. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) And in John 16:33, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”  We will remain upright on our feet through 2021 come what may, for we stand on Jesus Christ the Solid Rock upon which we shall not be moved. 

Welcome to 2021. To Christ be the Glory, AMEN!