New Year – So what ?
Been thinking to write for sometime but never got the time and space to do it. With writing I guess thoughts need to be captured as and when it crosses our mind. I have written at least 4 to 5 themes in my mind but never got to write them down.
Anyway been thinking about the new year and what is it about a new year. Why does it have to be any special than another month and another day. We don’t celebrate a new month do we or a new day.
So much has happened in 2008 most of which caught each nation by surprise. On a macro level things have only gone worse each year. 20th century was called as the bloodiest century of all time and looks like the 21st will beat it. For those in India and all around too the Bombay terrorist attack was something which shook peoples beliefs. If it was natural disaster like the tsunami the world could unite and help but for something like this where will unity come from. Move from the macro to the micro what happened to the Christians in Orissa – India, was also on the same magnitude only difference being this was done by an Indian community in trying to arrive at solutions.
On the relationship side there has never been so much chaos around the world. If it was only wars then loads of people could lead a detached life from reality thinking that nothing can happen to them. But overnight we saw the bankruptcy declaration of Lehman brothers. An organisation known for it's proactive ness and business acumen could not live another day. People lost jobs in thousands and suddenly it seemed the common man was going to go down financially and daily lifes were being affected.
Move to the sports arena and this year saw China beat the US and clinch the Olympic title. Lewis hamilton won his first championship creating records of all types. The mighty Australian cricket team got thrashed and have never been able to recover since then.
All in all, one thing that stands out is the uncertainty in everything. Political scenario in almost all countries is very uncertain. Nobody knows what to expect. Technological progress in itself has not helped the progress of individual lifes. In all this where does a common man’s optimism in life comes from. What is there to look forward to a new year. Will things change suddenly or as they say it is all in the mind.
Asking these questions has made me ask myself what is that I look forward to in the months to come. What difference does it make if you are a Christian. After a bit of contemplation and trying to think through a few areas I have arrived at a simple paradigm which is “ another year to learn to trust GOD and to live a life worthy of my calling “ . Things around us are certainly uncertain but admist all that is GOD’s guiding hand which removes the fear of a future and the panic of the present.
Richard Baxter expresses his thoughts in these lines:
My knowledge of life is small,
The eye of faith is dim,
But it's enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with him.
Which is very true. “ I shall be with him” isn’t that the only hope.
Even as we enter a new year , new month lets see the purpose through GOD’s eyes and at the end of it all we shall be with him.
Anyway been thinking about the new year and what is it about a new year. Why does it have to be any special than another month and another day. We don’t celebrate a new month do we or a new day.
So much has happened in 2008 most of which caught each nation by surprise. On a macro level things have only gone worse each year. 20th century was called as the bloodiest century of all time and looks like the 21st will beat it. For those in India and all around too the Bombay terrorist attack was something which shook peoples beliefs. If it was natural disaster like the tsunami the world could unite and help but for something like this where will unity come from. Move from the macro to the micro what happened to the Christians in Orissa – India, was also on the same magnitude only difference being this was done by an Indian community in trying to arrive at solutions.
On the relationship side there has never been so much chaos around the world. If it was only wars then loads of people could lead a detached life from reality thinking that nothing can happen to them. But overnight we saw the bankruptcy declaration of Lehman brothers. An organisation known for it's proactive ness and business acumen could not live another day. People lost jobs in thousands and suddenly it seemed the common man was going to go down financially and daily lifes were being affected.
Move to the sports arena and this year saw China beat the US and clinch the Olympic title. Lewis hamilton won his first championship creating records of all types. The mighty Australian cricket team got thrashed and have never been able to recover since then.
All in all, one thing that stands out is the uncertainty in everything. Political scenario in almost all countries is very uncertain. Nobody knows what to expect. Technological progress in itself has not helped the progress of individual lifes. In all this where does a common man’s optimism in life comes from. What is there to look forward to a new year. Will things change suddenly or as they say it is all in the mind.
Asking these questions has made me ask myself what is that I look forward to in the months to come. What difference does it make if you are a Christian. After a bit of contemplation and trying to think through a few areas I have arrived at a simple paradigm which is “ another year to learn to trust GOD and to live a life worthy of my calling “ . Things around us are certainly uncertain but admist all that is GOD’s guiding hand which removes the fear of a future and the panic of the present.
Richard Baxter expresses his thoughts in these lines:
My knowledge of life is small,
The eye of faith is dim,
But it's enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with him.
Which is very true. “ I shall be with him” isn’t that the only hope.
Even as we enter a new year , new month lets see the purpose through GOD’s eyes and at the end of it all we shall be with him.
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