As we start a new year, it is a time when we might reflect on the year just passed and look forward to what might be happening in the year ahead. Of course, none of us actually know quite what is in store for us during the coming year but that doesn’t stop us thinking and making plans. Jesus warned us about worrying for the material things in our lives when he said ‘for life is more than food and the body more than clothes’ (Luke 12:23) The life we can know when we follow Jesus is a life full of treasures such as we can never find in a shopping mall or with an on line search. He encourages us to then be watchful and to ‘be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning. (Luke 12:35)
So how do we face the year ahead as a church fellowship? Here are three things to consider;
Firstly, let us stay faithful (and active) in wor-ship. The most visible way which sets us apart from the unbelieving world is when we come together physically to worship our Lord. We ex-press our love and devotion to Him as we gather each Lord’s day and he speaks to us through his spoken word and through the power of the Holy spirit. So let us not become weary in attending each week and let us also take what we hear and put the thoughts and words into practice in our daily lives. James wrote that ‘faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead’ (James 2:17b) Let us show the world our faith by what we do in serving Christ.
Secondly, let us be faithful in prayer. We have been given unhindered one to one access with our Lord through the gift of prayer. Yes, our lives may get busy at times but do we put the right amount of time aside to pray with one another ? Our times of prayer are times of special commun-ion with one another before the Lord – make sure that you are not missing out on these.
Thirdly, let us remain faithful in fellowship. It is always good to acknowledge the many ways in which individuals within the fellowship are show-ing care for one another – often in ways unseen. So let us continue to show that love and devotion to one another that our Lord first showed to us and continues to do through our sins forgiven through his sacrificial death.
Whatever might lay in store for each one of us during the coming year, may we each continue to look to the Lord, looking forward in joyful antici-pation and echoing those words spoken through the prophet Isaiah when he said;
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Stuart
Elder
January 2025
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