Reflections of 2020
It’s important to look back on our lives to see how God has brought us to this point in time. We need to assess our personal life stories in the context of His-Story for Jesus Christ himself is the cross-roads of the history of mankind.
Most of us will be glad to see 2020 in our rear view mirrors. We were blind-sided at the beginning of 2020. We didn’t foresee 2020 with 20/20 foresight and the pressures of the pestilence, pandemic, panic and pandemonium we’ve endured… but God did. God orchestrates all things to work together for good to those who love him and are called according to His purpose.
What was God’s plan and purpose for 2020? Looking back on the past eventful year with 20/20 hindsight, we reflect that part of His purpose for 2020 is that we would learn the meaning of love and hope. According to Romans 5:3 tribulation (mental pressure) worketh (proves, tests, and refines and confirms) patience (endurance) and patience experience (proven quality or tested character) and experience hope (of future promises not yet attained) and hope maketh not ashamed (of having endured the testing) for the love of God (His merciful, gracious and steadfast unconditional love) is shed abroad in (gushes out of) our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
There is nothing new under the sun. Today’s times are similar to Paul’s day In 2 Timothy 3 when he wrote to Timothy his dear “son in the faith” by God’s revelation:
1. THIS know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away…
7. (They are) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth…
10. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11. Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
In the history of this world there have only been two nations that were founded upon the Word of God. The first was Israel and the second was the United States of America. America’s founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution “in firm reliance upon Divine Providence” in order to secure God’s “blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” God is faithful to His Word. He is no respecter of persons. However, he is a respecter of His Word. God will bare his mighty arm when men to him are loyal according to the truth of His revealed word.
There is a four part requirement in order for individuals and nations to hear from God. This prescription is in 2 Chronicles 7:14. The healing of the land according to the Word of God starts with humility. Then His people can pray, and seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways. When we as God’s people do these four things, Then shall we hear our Father’s voice from heaven. He will hear our prayer and heal our land.
Pete recalls that when he was a missionary in Europe before the fall of the iron curtain, he visited Warsaw where there was only one western-style department store. Communist Block stores were infamous for shortages of basic necessities. When a shipment of womens’ underwear arrived at the department store, the women fought over the undergarments. They were desperate for what we Westerners consider the little insignificant things of this life.
What is it that’s really important? Paul said in Philippians 3:
10. “I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend (take hold of) that for which also I am apprehended of (taken hold of by) Christ Jesus.
13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
A spiritual dissatisfaction with the things of this world and a hunger and thirst after righteousness is the prerequisite that allows God to fill us with the power of His Holy Spirit. When men are asked, “Do you pray enough, Give enough, Spend time in the Word of God enough, serve your church enough, or love your wife and children enough?”, most men will look down and say, “enough is never enough.” This is why Paul said, I am taken hold of so that I might take hold of that for which I have been taken hold. That I might take hold of the fullness of the completeness and sufficiency of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul said I haven’t attained yet…. I haven’t been perfected in the flesh. According to 1 Corinthians 13, God keeps no record of wrongs done. The love of God “thinketh no evil… it does not charge to our account evil for evil. When our Heavenly Father sees those who have received his gift of salvation, he doesn’t see the imperfection of our flesh, instead he sees the righteousness of his gracious gift of his Holy Spirit… For of Him are ye in Christ Jesus who was made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
Oswald Chambers said, “When God sees wrong in a man, he doesn’t say, “go fix it.” The root of our problem is not our performance. The root of our problem is our sin nature that we inherited from Adam. Jesus said, “there is none good (in the flesh) no, not one.” As Martin Luther wrote, “did we in our own flesh confide, our battle would be losing, were not the Right Man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing. Doth ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is he, Lord Jesus Christ his name, from age to age the same, and he must win the battle.
Repentance starts with humility. We must forsake our own selves in order to approach God with a broken and a contrite heart. When Jesus saw the Pharisees proudly performing eloquent prayers, he said, “They think they will be heard for their great swelling words of vanity and for their much speaking. They have their own reward: the praise of men and glorifying themselves.” Then Jesus said, “consider the despised tax collector. He went into his closet, beat his chest, and prayed, “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.” Which prayer do you think God heard?”
The Voices in our heads often reflect the accusations of this world. An excerpt from the song “You Say” by Lauren Daigle says, “I keep fighting voices in my mind that say, “I’m not enough…. I will never measure up.” Lord….You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing. You say I am strong when I think I am weak. You say I am held when I think I’m falling short. When I don’t belong, you say I am yours! What you say of me, I believe!
The spiritual battlefield is in the mind. In whom do we find our worth? In whom do we find our identity? For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. Therefore, Put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. … take up the shield of believing faith that we may quench all the fiery darts (evil accusations) of the wicked one.
We didn’t see 2020 with 20/20 foresight but God did. He wasn’t blind sided. He wasn’t surprised. We’ll be glad to see 2020 with 20/20 hindsight. We anticipate 2021 so that we can look back on 2020 in our rear view mirrors to praise and glorify our Father for having brought us through trials and pressures of 2020 to teach us the meaning of hope and love.
What’s important in 2021? The story of Mary and Martha is an illustration of what really matters. Martha was upset that her sister Mary wasn’t helping her serve their guests. However, Jesus said, “Mary has chosen that better thing”… to sit at the feet of her Lord to hear the word of God.
The important thing is to align our vertical priorities. Our relationship with God and his son our Lord Jesus Christ is our most important priority. Our consumer culture tells us to long for belongings. Our minds tell us that we should also long to belong. If we be-longing for belongings and belonging, the most important question is “to whom do I belong?” The phrase “man of God” is the genitive of possession. It means God’s man. The important thing about Christianity is not who we are but whose we are! Therefore I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…
…That we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
