Devotion – Thursday, New Year’s Eve 2020
Dear Friends and Family in Jesus Christ
Our Watchword for today is taken from Psalm 6: 9, “The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord has heard my prayers,” (Amplified Bible). As we come to the end of a year that has sorely tested the global community, we can bring our fears and disappointments of this year to the Lord. He hears our cries and he understands our tears and fears. Looking back on this year, and trying to describe it in one word, the word devastation comes to mind. Never before has the world been so united in sharing the same plight, yet so divided in opinion and empathy. It will serve us well to re-read our watchword for the first day of 2020, Psalm 66:10, “For You, O God, have proved us; You have tried us as silver is tried, refined and purified.” We did not know what the future had in store for us, but we know the God of our future. It has been a year of trials and tribulations, but God held us in his hand, and helped us in and through our proving and unbelief, (Mark 9:24).
This year has turned on its head many of the institutional ideologies that we were sure about and in which we trusted as to offer stability and security. Who would have believed that the world could shut down? Who could have predicted that travel, borders, schools, churches and work places would be out of bounds? However, God inspires greatness in ordinary men, women and children, especially in times of calamity and crises. We have witnessed peoples’ courage in these times and their acts of selflessness. We are humbled and grateful. Their courage gives us hope and serves as an example to us not to give up, not to lose heart, not to lose hope and not to lose faith.
Paul says that through our suffering we develop patience and endurance, this patient faith shall produce joyful and confident hope in our salvation; such hope will never fail (Romans 5; 3-6). Jesus, in his farewell discourse with his disciples, encourages them to pray to him and ask him what they need, for they will truly receive what they ask in his name. “Up to this time you have not asked a (single) thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness and delight) will be full and complete,” (John 16: 23-24). We are Jesus’ disciples in this world today, and we are told by our Master to “ask and keep on asking.” This is his word for us today and every day, for he “will hear our supplications.” Let us never stop to look for the signs of this coming joy and gladness. We are overwhelmed, but we are not defeated. Christ conquered the powers of death, sickness and destruction on the Cross for us. It has been done, it is finished! We shall still see the mercy and loving-kindness of our God as he turns the tide of the raging storm.
Father, God, our Father, we come to you and pray, “O, Lord, hear our prayers, when we come; Father, come and listen to us. You tell us, ask of me what it is that you need. Father, we ask that you will turn the calamity that is raging in this world around, so that we can see and experience all that you are and represent. Father, we ask that you will heal those who are mourning the loss of their loved-ones this year. Father we pray that you will heal those who are sick and who are suffering of Covid-19 and the aftermath of Covid-19. Father we pray for all those who are suffering various diseases and heart-aches, that you will heal, bless, keep and sustain them. Father we pray for this world and her children, for the church in this world, we ask that you will guide us and give us your grace to come and lay this year at the foot of your Cross, and give it all to you. Father, give us your hope and grace, bring us to experience your joy and deliverance. This we pray in the Name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, One God now and for ever, Amen.
