In prophetic terms, we celebrated the advent of a new season in the Lord last 18th September, heralding the year 5781. And such an event should lift our spirit in hope of the entry of God’s works of grace in our family life – whether it’s our personal family, or our local church family, or our Foursquare family.

 

From the Book of Leviticus, it’s recorded how the Lord instructed Moses to establish feasts to celebrate and remember the goodness and faithfulness of God, whether in times of difficulties, in years of wandering in the wilderness, in sowing, in pruning, or harvesting with great fruitfulness. There are significant demonstration of divine guidance, provision and providence that we His people should remember and be thankful for.

 

Therefore, as this year 2020 draws closer to conclusion, it’s shaping to be truly memorable in so many ways. The uncertainty, challenges and stresses, the restrictions, limitations and boundaries rising to block physical, emotional, even spiritual freedoms have caused, and continue to press hard in our minds, affecting our mental well-being. And in this environment, we collectively find ourselves looking only in the direction of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

We must reflect upon the stance of our Lord, standing in the temple on the Feast of Dedication proclaiming the coming of the Holy Spirit like rivers of living waters rising from our hearts. He gives us an awareness of how He wants to come and enlighten our darkness, and He shows us how He comes to shepherd our souls.

 

These days, we cannot avoid the stresses caused by the relentless waves of changes engulfing our daily lives. Yet we have to learn from what Jesus did. He heals a blind man (John 9), displaying the power of God to overthrow the things that invade the human circumstance. Then He teaches about shepherding (John 10:1-11), showing us the heart of God, who comes not only to deliver us, but to nurture us as His children.

   

What we must learn in turn, is to stand firm on the call of God in our life, to pursue our role in reaching the lost, bringing sight to the blind, help to the needy, health to the sick, and deliverance to the oppressed. We look to Jesus, our Blessed Hope, the only source of our salvation and empowerment. And we continue to train those around us, not to give up on doing good. We must never lose hope, for Jesus said, “In this world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”