Ways to live well in the New Year
Joshua 1:6-9; 1Timothy 4:5
May the Lord of Peace be with you. According to medical doctors, when someone says, “I feel like dying,” shoulders drop down and other body parts, cells, and nerves immediately prepare for death. The reverse happens when someone says, “I want to live.” The moment those words are spoken, all body parts, cells, and nerves start to prepare for living. This is a fact medically verified that our body parts are sensitive to our languages. In that sense, God’s Word in Numbers 14:28 is very interesting. “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘Just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.”
God also seems to be very sensitive to what we say. Perhaps that is why God says, God will do to us as what we speak. Just as God spoke, “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it,” may your New Year be full of blessings (Psalm 81:10). Jesus described his purpose of coming to this world. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Amen. There are several things we must be careful to live peacefully and successfully traveling untraveled paths of New Year. One must live daily in greater intimacy with God. Then, how can we live in greater intimacy?
First, the Bible must become essential part of life. We cannot find true prosperity and happiness that God provides if we take the Bible lightly. This Book helps us to overcome persecutions, dangers, temptations, and trials. When read carefully, the Bible enables us to enjoy righteous, courageous, and strong life. The Bible solves the problem of life and death completely. Even when the foundation of the world shakes and crumbles God’s Word stands firmly. 1Peter 1:24-25 says, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
We experience God moments and meet God through the Word. In the midst of those experiences we walk with God. Especially, the Bible is good to us in leading us in the righteous paths. A good carpenter does not discard bent woods, but rather he/she straightens them and turns them into good woods. In the same way when we discover our wrongful ways in light of the Bible, rather than throwing away the Book, we must correct our life. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” We must also remember Psalm 119:9, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
The Bible is like a stubborn photographer. For many years, I worked as a photo album technician. So, I have seen countless photos. There is one common thing about photographers. They are strict about capturing and keeping the subjects as realistically as possible. They want to keep the true looks of the brides and grooms, whether they are good-looking or not, big or skinny. They also take photos from angles we do not commonly see ourselves. The Bible is like that. Open your heart and compare your life to Bible readings. We can correct our unrighteous ways immediately as we find them. The Bible gives insights to the areas we need to bring changes. Regular Bible readings produce life changes and develop growth of faiths and spiritual maturity. Beloved! Today, at your home, if your Bible has been collecting dusts, dust them off. Kimchi needs to be matured by leaving it alone for a while for better taste. However, that is not true for the Bible. The Bible shows how to walk with God, so we need to keep it close to us. “Keep the Bible close by.”
Second, prayer needs to be an essential part of our life. As we need to breathe in oxygen to preserve our life, we must pray to preserve our spiritual life. It is because prayer is spiritual oxygen for Christian life. Without our time alone with God, we cannot maintain strong Christian characters or powerful spiritual strengths. We are weak but God is strong. In order to receive the power, we need for life we must hold God’s hand through prayer. In life, there are many mountains to climb, many burdens to bear, and many temptations to overcome. Without prayers, there is no victory.
Look at Daniel. He had no trouble overcoming the tyranny of a gentile King because he was a man of prayer. He set times for daily prayer and prayed regularly. Then, look at David. He was a great man of God. He says in Psalm 55:17, “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” His prayers were prayer songs. Now look at Jesus. He prayed regularly whether he was popular or not. He prayed at the time of baptism, during temptations, and at dawn. He prayed after a busy day. He prayed all night sometimes. He prayed when he fed five thousand, and when he raised Lazarus from death. He prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane in great agony, and also on the cross. Even the Son of God who calmed the sea and created the universe needs to pray. So how much more do we, who are weak, need to pray? This year, let us develop a habit of having daily prayers. Let us set a time and place for prayer and keep it.
Third, gathering together for worship is essential in walking with God. Hebrews 10:21-25 emphasizes the importance of worshiping with other believers. “And since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” To be blessed we must worship faithfully. Our hearts and attitudes should always turn toward God and with one heart we must remember God, then God will surely bless us. It is because God made that promise. Our being busy cannot be an excuse. There is a Muslim temple in our neighborhood. I see people going to the temple at least twice a day, early morning and in the evening. I reflected on my worship attitudes as I observed their diligence. Our righteousness must be better than Pharisees. We must not take rituals lightly. It is proper for us to worship God. It is important for us to worship together before God. In addition, we must worship God with our daily life. Corporate worship on Sundays is not enough. Worshiping is giving back God’s best gift to Him. If we received talents, times, and possessions from God, then give the best to God.
Fourth, in order to walk with God, do good works for others. Read Hebrews 13:1-3 and learn who needs our helps. Then, both you and whom you serve will be freed from loneliness. “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Do not be discouraged in doing good works. In due time, you will harvest fruits of your good works. They are the fruit of the Holy Spirit, “But the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). Do not forget to be gentle. Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Gentleness means having a generous margin of error. It means we should tolerate when somethings come short or go beyond our expectations.
Finally, whenever you have chances proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Beloved! Do you not experience your hearts warming and excitement when you share the Gospel? Jesus Christ came to the world, died on the cross and resurrected to forgive ours sins and reconcile us to God. He returned to heaven to prepare a place for us. And He will return to take us with Him. When you share this Good News, doesn’t your heart warm up and beat excitedly? Paul said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” He confessed how he was called to proclaim the Gospel. You and I have the same mission. Whenever we have chances we need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe we have been called for that work. May you understand that doing such work is the way to walk with God.
Let me gather what I shared today. How can we walk with God faithfully this year? Keep God’s Word close to you. Pray. Worship. Do good works. Share the Good News. Then our faithful God will add to our blessings, observing our renewed commitments and good works. It is time for us to begin again. Let us renew our commitments and make plans. Let us confess before God and act out. Let us count our blessings at the end of this year. May your new year overflow with gratitude and joy.