A NEW VIEW FOR THE NEW YEAR

By REVEREND TONY ZEKVELD

Happy New Year to all!

This past year, 2020, was an exceptionally trying year. I think most of us would agree.  Who would have known in 2019 that we would enter into 2020, the year of the pandemic?   

A tiny invisible virus brought fear and uncertainty into our world! It brought about isolation and lockdowns in every region of the world. Suddenly, in a real way, our dreams are shaken by the uncertainty and brevity of life. We are not in control.

Has this virus brought us to our knees, to see a Reality which exists far bigger than we, ourselves?  By ‘Reality’, I don’t mean chance, accident, fate, or impersonal forces, but God Himself. He brought this virus to pass, by His own hand. The world is in His hands; He created it, including everything in it. Though God is not the Author of evil, He uses evil for His own purposes: to humble us, to bring us to our knees, so that we – men, women and children – may once again acknowledge Him and worship Him. 

How many know God as their Father? He made us to live in a right relationship with Him. We spoiled this relationship by disobeying Him. He becomes our Father again when we believe in Jesus Christ through whom all our sins are forgiven and relationship is restored!

How comforting, then, to know that the world is in His hands! He upholds and governs everything, as if by His hand. Not only that, He governs and directs all things to their appointed end. This also includes the virus. Nothing takes place outside His will, not even the fall of a sparrow. Health and sickness, war and peace, life and death are in the hands of God.

How is this a comfort?  In Christ, we may confidently say “we can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future, we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from His love...” (from our churches’ catechism). The Bible says, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”  Nothing, not even death “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

In Jesus, hope triumphs! Our confidence for the New Year 2021 is found in Him. He makes all the difference! 

• Reverend Tony Zekveld can be reached at 416-740-0543 and tzekveld@primus.ca. If you would like to learn more about Hope Centre and Hope Academy, feel free to visit www.hope-academy.ca and www.hope-centre.ca.