Nena Arias | December 28, 2020
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)
The world and our country have been through a very difficult year. We have felt the foundation of our country severely shaking. Our politics and attack on our faith and values have played a big part. We know our country has been divided for a long time, but the stark differences had not been so obvious. Most people are realizing the differences and their implication. So, these divisions are good in that they have clearly marked the factions among us, and we can identify them. We knew these factions were there before but kind of hidden and blurred. It’s good to know who the wolves are. They’ve been hiding among the sheep for far too long.
Defining the worldviews is always very beneficial to help orient us. The Apostle Paul said, “For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you” (1 Corinthians 11:19).
Among humans, there are differences of opinions and points of contention always. Some issues never truly go away, and they have to be dealt with, so we shouldn’t be surprised when these issues come up generation after generation. But we are to learn from past mistakes and have tried and true action plans to resolve those issues. It behooves each generation to keep those action plans alive and well to maintain our true north to always distinguish the wheat from the tares.
Politics is part of each worldview, but it isn’t the first thing to change. In most cases, it’s the last thing to change because people need to change first.
Civilizations must constantly set forth and reinforce the necessary conditions to either sustain or rebuild the fractured parts of our society. Millions of people, including Christians, don’t know where to start or how to think through the issues because it all comes down to the source of our wisdom, knowledge and understanding of all things. This brings us to the decision of determining what we believe and why we believe it. Where are we drawing our knowledge of life from in all areas?
Each year people take inventory of their lives and make a feeble attempt to set resolutions for their new year but seldom keep those resolutions. The week before a new year the world celebrates a glorious reminder of what happened nearly two thousand years ago to set the human race straight on the right path to life.
God came to earth in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, dwelled among us in human form, and then died, rose, and ascended. In so doing he conquered all defeat we could possibly face and passed on to us the ability to do the same. It is in this victory over sin and death that should confidently and boldly turn the page of a calendar year and face the work that is before us with valor and assurance of being victorious through Jesus who strengthens us. God has work that needs to be done in us and through us. New days come and new years also. There are years that have not yet unfolded but we do not have to fear the future and the challenges it may bring. So, let us usher in a New Year with great confidence because God is still seated on the throne of the universe governing all of his creation and will never lose the control. He is in control of the past, present and future of all things. Let us be bold and confident in him who will give us fresh strength for the times to come.
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)