At the Threshold of the New Year

It is the time once again to review the year that has passed and to look forward with anticipation to the coming year ahead. There is always an underlying excitement whenever this time of the year comes. This is because deep within each of us, there is a yearning for fresh starts. When things are going well, a new start gives us a chance to continue our momentum. When things are not going well, a fresh start enables us to hit the reset button and begin again ... with a new screen, a clean slate, and fresh start. God provides us this fresh start because of his grace and steadfast love. He built into our lives new days, new weeks, new months, and new years. Each is an opportunity for a fresh start filled with new opportunities to escape the traps of the past and to find the love, joy, hope, and peace that his Holy Spirit longs to bring into our lives.

So it's going to be a bright new shining year. What are you going to do with it? Where is God calling you to go in your life with this new start? What opportunities has he placed in your path for this new adventure? In what ways will you passionately serve him in the days ahead?

Many people make New Year's resolutions ... then routinely break them. Experts say that these resolutions really hold sway over thoughts a mere three days or so. However, as believers in the risen and exalted Lord, we know that fresh starts can be forever. Transformation from one degree to another can be a daily event. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Take a look at Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, who sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. (Well, he did not exactly do this at a new year’s eve, but at a new era of his life.) Throughout his lifetime he would add to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions. He put at the top of his list: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions."

Jonathan Edwards didn't casually make New Year's resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them. Each week, he did a "self-check." He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God's help in the process.

Christ calls us to commit to actively work at becoming conformed to His image. This coming year resolve to become a person committed to a godly transformation. Prayerfully set your heart toward the work of the Lord and his future for you. Commit your ways to him and keep your eyes open for his glory in the days ahead. Resolve, just like Jonathan Edwards, “That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, in the whole of my duration.”

Happy New Year!

How the Grinch Did Not Steal Christmas

It is a children’s Christmas classic by now, the wonderful story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” written by Dr. Seuss. Are you familiar with the original version?

“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just North of Who-ville, did NOT!”

Why you ask? Perhaps, said Dr. Suess,
“It could be that his head wasn’t screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.”

The story, of course, is really about how the Grinch didn’t steal Christmas at all. Yes, he stole the trees, the gifts, the food, the stockings, the lights and the greenery. By the time the Grinch returned to his wickedly lonely home on top of the mountain overlooking Who-ville, all he left behind was the snow, a few hooks on the wall, and a speck of food so small, even the Who-ville mouse turned up his nose at it.

But, much to his surprise, when the good folks of the village woke up on Christmas morning, they joined hands in the street and sang their songs of Christmas as if it didn’t matter that the gifts were gone, that the food was missing, and that the decorations had been stolen.

High on his mountain fortress, it puzzled the Grinch to no end to realize that despite all his work, despite all his evil intent, he hadn’t stolen Christmas at all.

”And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

And what happened then...?
Well...in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch's small heart
Grew three sizes that day!”

May this simple children’s book remind us again that Christmas is not about the gifts and parties and decorations. Christmas will still be with us even without the trappings and festivities and commercialization and stress that come with it. Even if Dr Seuss did not specifically mention it, we Christians know that indeed, Christmas is something more… Christmas is Christ! May we all give more time and effort to find the Christ of Christmas. Then, maybe, like the Grinch, our hearts will grow bigger, fuller and happier, too.


Source: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Dr. Seuss, © 1957

How Silently, How Silently, the Wondrous Gift is Given...

If you were given a choice to be born again as a baby to any family, in any culture, across any generation, what would you choose? It would be interesting to be born the son of the Queen of England or the Crown Prince of the Middle Kingdom (Ancient China). Or perhaps to be the next Albert Einstein or Bill Gates… And yet, our God, the creator & ruler of the whole universe chose to be born to a poor carpenter’s family at a time when his people were ruled & persecuted by a foreign empire.

Think about the circumstances surrounding the original Christmas more than 2000 years ago. Our present Christmas arts show cute lambs, a manger filled with hay, calm beautiful faces of Joseph & Mary. But the real nativity scene presented by the gospels seemed grim & stark - anything but peaceful.

Think about the pregnancy – who would believe the virgin conception? We knew nothing of Jesus’ grandparents. What must they have felt to have an unmarried pregnant daughter? How many times did Mary review the angel’s words as she felt the Son of God kicking inside her uterus? How many times did Joseph doubt his encounter with the angel? Maybe it was just a dream? And all these 9 months they have to endure the shame & ridicule of family & villagers who could plainly see the changing shape of Mary. And the Roman census – it would have sufficed for Joseph alone, as the male head of the household to show up for the census. Did Joseph drag his pregnant wife along to Bethlehem to avoid her giving birth alone in her home village, because they knew no one there would support her?

Think about the birth – This is the birth of a Jewish family’s firstborn boy! Traditionally, this should be a much celebrated affair with the whole village rejoicing with the family. But Jesus’ birth in an animal shelter had no sterile facility, no doctor, no midwife, not even an extended family member present. There was nowhere to lay the newborn King’s head but a feeding trough. The only people who knew about His birth were a few illiterate shepherds – nobodies in the Jewish community.

It seems that God arranged the most humiliating circumstances possible for His entrance. (It may also be noted that He also had a most humiliating exit – the crucifixion.) This is something we, humans cannot imagine. Our God did not come down as a raging whirlwind or a devouring fire but as a baby who could not speak nor eat solid food. And why did He do all these?

Because He loves us, He came down to save us so that He can reclaim us back to become His children. Forever.

“How silently, How silently, the Wondrous Gift is given…”

Every Team Needs A Coach

Today is the day set aside to honor all the fathers who provide, however modestly, for their families; who are generous, who care deeply for their wives and children, who rejoice when the children learn from their mistakes, and who express their affection freely. If all these fathers, even if they are not Christians, are able to be good fathers, then all the more, the Christian fathers should be able to become even better fathers because we have a model of our Heavenly Father and we can access the wisdom from the Word of God. Christian fathers get their strength from the relationship they enjoy with their Heavenly Father. They are aware that following Biblical principles in parenting will have positive influence on their children.

The foremost of these principles is carrying the Leadership role in the home. If parenting is a teamwork (of both mother and father and in some cases, of extended families), then, this team needs a coach – and that duty falls on the shoulders of the father.

Give priority to this task. Too many fathers have allowed other things to become more important than leading their family. They usually delegate more crucial decision-making and home-related activities to their wives. Stu Webber in his book “The Four Pillars of Man,” wrote, “A man’s greatest title is not Dr. So and So, or Professor, or General, or Mr. Vice-President. The highest office in the land is not in the White House. (He’s an American). It is in your house!”

Actively participate in bringing up your children. A father’s influence increases when he is close to the process of guiding children. You can inform from a distance, but you influence through personal involvement. Fathers must be involved in all areas of nurturing our children not just providing for tuition payment or driving the children to school. Fatherhood is not a sometime thing. Instead it is an “all the time thing.” When Moses instructed Israel about the father’s role in leading children, he stressed the ongoing aspect of parenting. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 says to lead children to fear the Lord by instructing them when you sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and when you get up.

Chuck Swindoll, in his book “The Strong Family,” described the greatest contribution that a parent can make “is to help your child cultivate a lasting and meaningful relationship with the Living God. If your child is launched from your nest secure in Christ and confident that he has been designed by God to fulfill a special calling, equipped with the tools to handle the demands of everyday life, then you have done your job.”

Safeguards

We are not going to talk about the popular soap whose advertisement includes a “conscience” reminding the mother of the house to use proper hygiene to protect the health of the family. We are going to talk about proper ways to protect the spiritual health of every believer. There are so many entertainments, distractions and temptations offered by the world today. We, as humans are also vulnerable to such attractions. It is truly hard to remain steadfastly moral and upright as Christ wants us to be. We have to proactively build “safeguards” into our lives to protect us from the “germs” of immorality and sinfulness.

Develop Accountability Partners. Enlist at least 2 friends and be transparent to them. They can be your spouse, your best friends, your prayer partner or Bible study leader or group-mates. Choose wisely. They should be Christians, people with integrity, act responsibly, who can keep secrets and give you good advice, who are not afraid to check on you and correct you when you do wrong things. The more people you are accountable to, the more likely you will think twice when you are tempted to do wrong.

Consider the Consequences. Christians are not exempt from temptations and sinning. We should always be on guard, think and reflect on the consequences – what would happen if we do give in to temptations. A careless, selfish decision may cost us our reputation, maybe our friendship, or our family and most importantly, our relationship with God. Think of the sin’s painful aftermath, the long and tedious restoration process with other people and with God. The more you think about the consequences, the less likely you will be tempted to sin.

Use your Time Wisely. An idle mind is the devil’s playground. When we have nothing to do, or when we feel bored, we are more likely to do the wrong things. For instance, if you find yourself with free time, develop a productive and relaxing hobby. Or go into sports to develop a healthier physical body. Better yet, read the Bible and inspirational books. Or listen to soothing and inspirational or classical music. Occupy your mind and your time with good things and you will turn out to be a better person.

Finally, Pray and ask others to pray for you as well. No matter how many intentional safeguards you put into place, nothing can be better than God putting His own safeguards around you to surround you and protect you. God is gracious to protect you and cover you if you ask Him and if you ask others to intercede for you. For the Lord God always answers our prayers for our own good, and in ways we cannot ever imagine.