Thank
GOD 2016 is almost over! It’s been a rather interesting year…and not just for
me. Indeed, things did not really end as expected for David Cameron, Hillary
Clinton, Nicolas Sarkozy, some African Head of States, and maybe even for you
as well. However, it’s been exactly how GOD intended it to be, hallowed be His
Name!
As
far as I am concerned, I have personally experienced three Christian virtues
like never before; and I’d like to end 2016 and envision 2017, focusing on
those.
GOD’s grace. We
tend to speak of grace a bit as we
speak of the name of Jesus, in Christian circles. ‘Peace and grace’, ‘…by GOD’s
grace,’ etc. But I wonder whether we actually grasp what those words mean. I
thought I knew what it was, but I’ve finally discovered and understood GOD’s
grace. My family and I went through various ordeals that, if anyone had
mentioned any of them to me on January 1st 2016, I’d have struggled to even
think of the end of this year. But here we are, still standing… by GOD’s grace. For instance, my
youngest daughter had a back problem in April, which almost left her paralysed.
In no time, she was bedridden; unable to sit; was fed lying flat on her back;
and then, it was the wheelchair, not to mention atrocious pains. She went to
school 4 or 5 times last year and it looked like this term was also compromised
when GOD did a miracle, 4 days before school starts. On September 2nd, she came
to church in a lot of pain and in a wheelchair; and she went home on her two
legs, hallelujah! I don’t want to detail what our daily lives were, you can try
to imagine it; but what I want to tell you is that grace sustained us every
hour and every day and carried us through. GOD’s grace…
Hope. Christ in you, the hope of glory
(Col. 1:27). One of the things that distinguish us the most from non Christians
is the capacity to continue to hope in a better tomorrow. The capacity to
believe that GOD will eventually turn situation around; that He will not fail
to deliver on His promises—and the capacity to believe that when NOTHING
encourages us to believe it. Indeed, if you live in Europe, it’s not overly
difficult to believe that you’ll have a white Christmas, even if the weather
forecast says the contrary—you know it’s still possible. But to be convinced
that of the same in Copacabana, Brazil, is something else! Against all hope (without reason for hope), Abraham in hope believed
(in faith went on hoping) and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him (Rom.
4:18). To hope AGAINST all hope… There’s no better definition for faith—without
which, it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6). In fact, if GOD cannot do
what is humanly, materially and naturally impossible, then He does not deserve
to be GOD.
Lastly,
the sovereignty and the perfection of
GOD’s ways. I love the song that says, “You
are a good good Father, that’s who You are; You are perfect in all your ways…”
When my daughter fell ill, we fasted; prayed; praised; laid hands on her;
anointed her; engaged in spiritual warfare; prophesied and took the Holy
Communion at home daily and yet, months went by without ‘anything’ happening.
If GOD had healed her then, we would have been very grateful, but then the
whole matter would have passed as a one of those things that just happen.
However, when He healed her in the way that He did, way after we had started
those things, it triggered a personal and a collective revival in church. We
had all heard about miraculous healings, but only a handful of people had previously
witnessed someone getting up from a wheelchair. Suddenly, GOD was very real.
Perhaps,
you are a bit low at the moment, because your greatest wish for the year has
not (yet) been fulfilled. Trust me, it really is not a big deal. GOD knows what
He is doing. His plans and ways are perfect in every respect. As long as the
Lord has not said ‘No’ to you, your responsibility is to keep on believing in
2017 and beyond, if necessary, relying on GOD’s grace, because it won’t always
be easy. Grace is what enabled Paul to endure the the torment inflicted by the
demon that harassed him (2Cor. 12:7-9). That’s how powerful and effective GOD’s
grace is.
GOD is GOOD. End
this year and start the new one with this thought: GOD is GOOD. And, throughout
2017, do not lose sight of the sovereignty
and perfection of GOD’s ways, along with the power of hope and grace. The best of GOD is yet to come…
