2001
Today dear friends, we stand on the verge of the unknown, a testing time, a mysterious new year, wrapped up in reserve and surprise.
Many feel threatened, disappointed, and do not hâve the strength to run the race, the power to do the right, then courage to last through the fight, the heart to stand till evil ceases, nor the strength to see the face of God.
There’s a predominant feeling of uncertainty in the air. Even fear, a lurking fear. A fear of what demands will be made of one’s self, and without resources to meet this year and to enter it with joy and contentaient, and to walk the earth’s troubled path. Many cry out from the depths of despair for help, for the Lord to hear and listen to earnest cries of help and to take away the interminable problems from their lives, to disperse them and deal with them, to be released from them. Others, too, are even fearful of losing their sanity and strength, and see no way through their probîems, faced with difficult decisions which will seriously affect their lives and the lives of their loved ones: decisions about jobs, about their marriage, about where to live, about money. Many others are persecuted, homeless, and without hope, scattered in remote corners of this world in prison or ruled by tyrants.
Families of the nations are divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin. Statesmen, leaders, and rulers, are not clear in judgement or spirit, nor understand the issues that face them, nor can they think clearly of the common people on whose behalf they must speak and act. Will they allow the king of Kings, and Lord of lords to govern their hearts and mind, to hâve the patience, courage, foresight and greât faith to make plans and act to keep the Law of God for
man’s only good and happiness?
Yet, wars and rumours of wars abound, and the paths of reconciliation are fraught with suffering as a resuit of war-injured, disabled, mentally distressed, homeless and hungry, mourning for the dead, and many without hope or friends to sustain them in their grief. Vast resources of power for potential destruction replace those areas of human need. Nationalist and racialist posturings predominate in an imperfect world of pathological fear and arrogance, in vain searching for the perfect solution.
This is, in part, the world today, squandering the precious, divine gift of life. A world that is troubled and divided, people and nations; in peril, sorrowing, the helplessness of the weak, the despondency of the weary, the failing powers of the aged, young people gone astray, hungry, and weak. Many in fact, hâve not trusted yet with an undoubting faith, and hâve not prepared themselves for the soon revealing of the Lord, the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwells righteousness, and where the Prince of Peace rules.
We live in a revolted world; a dark bîot in His universe. The daily avalanche of technological innovations and advancements that make men’s lives easier and at the same time more complicated puts most people into a state of troubled disquieting and affliction. Most importantly, high technology has tended to destroy the cannons of morality. With the phenomenal explosion of knowledge, mankind is striving to “learn more and more about less and less”. Scientists are, furthermore, striving to give mankind the highest standard of living in history at mind-numbing leveîs….”even to the time of the end: many shalî run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Dan. 12:4. In this quest, however, the bitterly competitive spirit has added to rough and smooth interactions of greed, disputes, and grief. In many millennial orientated lives, wearied by disordered and sedentary living, much like that of the “day of Noah, and Sodom”, overwhelming earthly possessions has been the consequences of their experiences with scientific and technological endeavors. Adding to man’s binge of creativity, around the world, has its dire effects too; overpopulation, devastating diseases with no cures yet, acid rain, disappearing forests, tattered ozone layers, sophisticated missiles, questions of genetic manipulation, cloning, euthanasia, artificial intelligence, and the creation of entirely new species… .frightening prospects. How will the moral aspects, and other issues of human dignity and life be weighted? Questions, and attitudes that are to be “weighed in the balances”, Dan. 5:27, remain to be answered.
Even apart from this. there are some crowning triumphs of technology, particularly in Medicine: boid surgical advances, and devices that hâve saved countless lives, prolonged others, and often made many exploratory and other operations unnecessary. Furthermore, many uncertainties hâve been eliminated, and medicine bas now even been provided with incredibly powerful and new diagnostic tools.
Medical “miracles” inevitabiy will continue. Although many in the Medical fraternity are skilled, talented, faithful, but overworked, it still needs to advance in the principles of health reform, and preventative medicine. Still “Christ is the true head of the medical profession.” MH.
Unfbrtunately, however, the chaos existing in the destroyed world reflects the general crisis of modem man: in which values hâve become meaningless, in which the individual has been almost reduced to nothingness, in an almost unreal world. Many persons are in danger of losing both worlds. (3T 329) We cannot hâve both worlds. (IT 706) The belief by many is that, “the only constant in modem life is change”, and that more than ever, in the transition of a culture from one of information scarcity to one of super abundance. In a global population of 6 billion, many are asking of the
scientists and technologists, “If only we knew what they were going to do next”.
The faithful believers in the Christian world hâve a force that is constant, and unchangeable, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever”. Heb. 10:8.
There is a danger, however, for believers when they hâve “friendships with the world, as they then become enemies with God, and their faith becomes corrupted.” (2T 444, 2T 283, GC 388)
Ail that “glitter, and tinsel captivâtes, charms men, and attracts the youth.” (3T 250, 1SM 255, 3T375)
But. this “love of the world loses its power as you contemplate the glories of the home of the redeemed”. (SL 91) “This world is our preparatory schooî. While hère we shall meet with trials and difficulties. Continually the enemy of God will seek to draw us away from our allegiance. But while we cleave to Him who gave Himself for us we are safe. “(In Heavenly Places 33) “Fear not, little flock for it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” Lk 12:32
There lies before us, too, the New Year and we are going to possess it. But, who can tell what we shall find? What new experiences, what indescribable changes shall corne, what new needs shall arise? But hère is the cheering, comforting gladdening message from our Heavenly Father, “The land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: a land which the Lord thy God careth for, the eyes of the Lord are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” Deut. 11:11-12.
Ail our supply, our sustenance, is to corne from the Lord. Hère are springs that shall never dry; hère are fountains and streams that shall never be eut off. Hère, troubled and anxious ones, is the gracious promise of the Heavenly Father if He be the Source of our mercies, they can never fail us. No beat or drought can parch that river, “The streams whereof make glad the city of God.” PS. 46:4.
The land is a land of hills and valleys. ït is not ail smooth nor ail down hill. If life were ail one dead level and ail of us the same character, the dull sameness would oppress us; we want and need the hills and the valleys, the ups and downs of life. The hills collected the rain for a hundred fruitful valleys. Ah! So it is with us! It is that hill difficulty that drives us to the throne of grâce and brings down the showers of blessing; the hills, the bleak hills of life that we wonder at and perhaps grumble at bring down the showers. How many hâve perished in the wilderness who would hâve lived in the hill-country; how many would hâve been killed by the frost, winds, swept desolate of tree and fruit but for the hill – strong, hard, so steep to climb. God’s hills are a gracious protection for His people against their enemies.
Much of life is like that. Most of us live it, climbing, day-by-day, wondering, “how long, Lord?” We set our goal, and even wonder that we can make it, not seeing far ahead to Jesus’ coming. But, as important as the destination, is the keeping of the faith while on the journey, being grateful, gaining strength for the journey, and with patience, to “keep climbing”! We cannot tell what loss and sorrow and trials are doing to us or our loved ones. Trust and obey
only. The gracious Father cornes near to take our hand and lead us on our ancient way today.
Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, in the darkness, who don’t see the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Rise up dear believer, from thy lower condition! Put away thy slothfulness, thy lethargy, thy coldness, thy indifference, or whatever interfères with thy pure love to Christ. Stop rebelling! Make Him the source, the center, and the circumference of ail thy soûls’ range of delight and desire. Rest no longer satisfied with thy minor accomplishments. Strive to a higher, a nobler, and a fuller blooming life. Reach upward to heaven! Nearer still nearer to God!
Not many of us are living at our best capacity. We linger about in the lowlands because we are afraid to climb the mountains or peaks. We stay in the misty, damp valleys and do not learn the mystery of the hills. We don’t realize what we lose in our self-indulgence, what glory awaits us if only we had more courage for the mountain climb, what blessings we would find if only we would move up to the fruitful radiant uplands of God. “Too low they build who build below the stars.”
God, in His celestial love for man, has blessed him with the dawn of a New Year. Many new opportunities, and challenges are before him. Just think, a chance to try again, to make another effort to successfully accomplish the tasks, which were perhaps put aside with discouragement in the year past; that soûl you always wanted to witness to, that book you wanted to write, to work harder for the church, and, oh, so much more, dear believer. Life is just full of beginnings. As we look into the unknown of a new year, and reflect for a moment, pausing in our busy lives, at the 365 days that hâve past, stumbling hère and there with our mistakes, recovering, falling, but ever climbing upwards,… “forgetting the past…I press onward”. As in Philippians, Always pressing toward the mark.
He has brought us safe thus far, and grâce will lead us home. It’s not our own achievement. Our Father has been faithful, that we give thanks to Him every morning and evening for His mercies, because He never fails! However, it is our peculiar and binding nature to want to live in the past of our life, in “the days that corne not back again”. We would rather relive the strifes, the bad habits, the heartaches, and stumbling blocks than to face the unknown. With almost unforgiving tenacity the past does cling, and îike sea barnacles, would hinder us from pushing out from the shore and launching into the deep. Some are not only afraid to climb but always look back, and dwelî on the past, continually. Many only speak of the “good-old-days”. It’s unproductive to look back! Someone hère might say, “I don’t look back. I dwell on the future”. They, in reality, exist in “space”, counting the days, dreaming life away. Each day is precious.
when we realize it’s a gift from God. Each minute of our lives is unique, if lived to the fullest. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, remember God gives us life; to dwell on the future can be as dwelling on the past, a waste. If we look too far ahead we may overlook God’s blessings today.
Standing at the parting of the ways there is a choice to make, some road to take, we must consider which. How do we intend to live? Will it be merely repetitious of the past? Searchingly say, “I do not see my way: I do not care to; but I know that He sees His way, and that I see Him.” Shining destitues are ahead! We must keep our eyes upon Jesus as we now face the new Dawn.
Our Father! Through the coming year We know not what shall be, But we would leave without a fear Its ordering ail to Thee “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
AMEN
By: Br. John Theodorou
Athens, Greece