Jan 4th, 2021: A New Year's Perspective - Be Prayferful, Reflective and Courageous




Greetings to you on this first Monday of 2021! I saw a cartoon of "Back to the Future" (1989) when Dr. Emmett Brown tells young Marty McFly don't even want to think about programming for 2020. So what are we looking for in 2021?


Praying without fear: we need to pray with the conviction that God is quite interested in our daily life. He is also quite aware of what we are confronting and wants to have our attention. The future depends on whether we learn how to involve Him. We then can live without fear because we pray fearlessly.

Be a student of the current culture and issues of our time. The message of hope remains the same. However, people have learned to look for hope somewhere else. We need to aim to bring about healing amid our differences. Being a student is having the willingness to walk with people in their pain and anger. We cannot dismiss that if we care for them.

Have a voice of reasons when confusion dominates the day. We have learned from recent events in the US is that when leaders fail to be that voice, it brings more chaos and frustration. When we can provide that, we bring comfort and clarity into the madness people have experienced. We cannot have that kind of voice if we don't listen well to those who know things we don't.

We might have different reasons to believe and to have different responses to this pandemic (Some might not even consider it to be one). My extended family has experienced Covid-19 in various degrees. One thing we as a family concluded that Covid-19 is a real health threat. One of my nieces has not seen her parents for more than two months because she has been tirelessly working to save lives as a physician in England. Another niece is working with nursing homes as a dietician in Montreal. Her ability to be with her parents and boyfriend has also been limited. Both of them would not have one kind word to say to people who say it is a "hoax".

We have seen both the better side of humanity and the worse side of it as we deal with Covid-19. Some people take full advantage of this event to damage others. Be aware of them and be courageous about calling them out. We should not be afraid to do so.

Proverbs 3: 5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."

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