It is the dawn of a new year; one week gone out of fifty-two weeks and eleven days gone out of three hundred and sixty-five days.
As an associate pastor of a multi-national student church here in Ukraine, I have noticed something that needs to be corrected as regards “new year expectations” that most Christians or would it be better to say most church goers often write down at the dawn of each new year. I am not saying that something is wrong with this practice, but I recently found out that most “believers” start up their new year with a “must-do-list” for God. Everyone including people who have not been to church for months rush to church on the 31st of December with an expectation list or to fill a new year expectation form (some churches pre-print and share new year expectation forms). As I said earlier there is nothing wrong with this practice in itself but the problem with us (we that bombard God with a list of expectation) is this; most Christians write endless list focused on the trinity of self (me, myself and I), the better ones include families or friends. The list starting up with things like:
1) Good Job and financial stability
2) Good husband or wife (with list of qualities attached to it)
3) A new apartment or healing of a relative and etc
I understand that God is our father and should be the one we cry to or submit our petitions to but there is a vacuum I think need to be filled. I consider such aforementioned list incomplete because I do believe that God on His part has things He expects us to do for Him every year. Even as a child expects his biological parents to take care of his basic needs and the parents expect him/her to be obedient and to do some chores at home. So does God demand certain things from us (even His promises to men of old always have a condition attached to it), no wonder God lamented in Malachi 1:6 :
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? (KJV)
Dictionary.reference.com defines honour as: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions, thus I ask a question, are we being honest and fair to God every time (especially in the dawn of a new year) we bombard him with a “must-do-list” without seeking His will or what He wants from us? We claim we love God but Apostle Paul through the Holy Spirit told us that love seeks not her own (1cor. 13:5). Jesus when teaching His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6 made a profound statement “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” (vs 10). But these days most of us are not after His will to be done rather we capitalize on the fact that He has a will to see to our welfare(often times quoting Jeremiah 29:11 & 3 John:2 to assail Him vigorously with our petitions. Jesus was often heard saying that his meat (earnest desire, fulfillment) is to do the will of Him that sent him (John 4:34) and in John 6:38 he said:
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
I am not trying to judge or condemn anyone but I was wondering if the will of God is to satiate our selfish hunger for the lucre of this world rather than the goodwill of our God and His kingdom? I believe that this epidemic of selfishness found in today’s church is a sign of lack of faith and absolute trust in God, Jesus said in Matthew 6:8; that our heavenly father knows what we need before we ask and in verse 33 Jesus told us how to get most things if not everything on our “must-do-list” by saying:
But seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness; and all these (the must-do-list & yearly expectations included) shall be added unto you.
Why are we then still disturbing God for what He has given us the key to more than two-thousand years ago? A wise man once said:
Don’t give me fish, teach me how to fish!
And a popular proverb says:
Give a man fish; you feed him for a day.
Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for life!
I think God gave us the secret of having all our needs met and supplied throughout our sojourn here on earth; it is simply to “pursue His will, His kingdom, His lifestyle and His righteousness” and more than we imagine shall be supplied.
Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:9 said “that God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance”, I believe this is God’s will, no wonder Jesus lived all his life here on earth delivering men from all sorts of peril and he finished it on the cross by dying so that all men can be reconciled back to God. What is your role? What part are you playing in seeing the will of God fulfilled in this generation? As ambassadors of Christ God expects us to plead with men on behalf of Jesus to be reconciled to God (1 Cor. 5:20).
This is the best vow or decision that you and I can make this year and it will amaze you how all your needs will be supplied this year without your asking. David said in Psalms 61:5
“For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name”
It might be your vows or decision to pursue the will of God (the salvation of all men) that will unlock and bring an answer to that need that has stayed on your “must-do-list” or “yearly expectation” for years. Just make a solemn vow or decision today and be committed to witnessing Jesus-Christ to your family, friends and everyone you come across this year.
God bless you,
Note: Perhaps you do not have a relationship with God or you live with a broken relationship your God and father, say this word in faith to start a new page with Him:
Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love for me, I believe that you died for me and your rose victoriously on the third day that I may be reconciled back to God. I ask that you forgive all my sins; I invite you into my life today to be my Lord and savior. Thank you for forgiving me and accepting me into the beloved in Jesus name I pray, Amen!
