Author: Elaine Tambunan

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… and cue the fireworks! 

Happy New Year, everyone! It’s finally out with the old year, and in with the new — 2022 is here! 

Speaking of the New Year, I’m reminded of some conversations I’ve had with several friends on the topic of travel prior to 2022. Especially with the lengthy lockdowns, it’s probably no surprise that many want to spend the New Year elsewhere while celebrating with family and friends overseas. But unfortunately, with the rising COVID cases and the resulting risks posed, many trips have had to be delayed, shortened, or even cancelled, much to my friends’ disappointment. 

However, something they don’t realise is that even with these trips being cancelled, there’s a journey that will never stop, not even because of COVID or whatever the new year brings. And it’s a journey that we all have to take — the journey of life. 

As the New Year rolls in, we’re still travelling. But even though we all seem to be walking in the same direction, there’s a massive difference in the paths trodden on by those of the world and those who follow Christ. 

New Year, New Light?

Perhaps it’s just me, but New Years always seem like the ideal time to recall nostalgic memories of the year past. Recently, I’ve started to reread one of the books I had a while back, ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ by John Bunyan. Most of us would have probably already read this or watched any one of the various film adaptations. Despite being such a famous Christian allegory, I hadn’t read this book for over a year and, as a result, forgot quite a bit of the book. However, I found that a certain small part of the allegory still stuck with me even today. 

In the ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, the first glimpse we get of the main character, Christian, is in his hometown, the City of Destruction. Obviously, Christian is not a happy man, but is in fact, terrified! Why? Because he has read about the inevitable death and judgement, he must face, and he knows that by his own strength and with the burden on his back, he cannot survive. 

But then we meet another character — Evangelist. Unlike the rest of the citizens of the City of Destruction that Christian previously tried to warn, Evangelist directs Christian, giving him instructions to “flee from the wrath to come”. Not understanding, Christian asks how he shall do such a thing. It’s this quote which first comes to mind.

“Then said the other [Evangelist], Do you see yonder shining light? He [Christian] said, I think I do. Then said Evangelist, Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto”

Evangelist’s instructions to the despairing Christian also applies to us Christians, in the year 2022. The shining light that Evangelist points to is not a lamp that flickers or goes out. It is the living Word of God. And what’s more, it cannot and will not change, even with all the change around it. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) 

What a promise! If like the Psalmist in Psalm 119:105, God’s Word continues to be the lamp to our feet and the light to our path, then we will still be able to persevere and press on towards Celestial City, no matter how narrow or rough the road becomes. 

And so, like Christian, we must continue to ‘keep that light’ in our eyes as we carry on life’s journey into the year 2022.

New Year, New Joy?

In theory, it seems pretty easy to fix our eyes on God’s Word, but in real life, it’s a whole different matter. Believe it or not, our eyes so often stray.

As teenagers, we’re one of the most vulnerable to all the new things that each New Year brings. Not only do we face countless physical and mental changes — our appearance, personality, and for a few lucky ones, our height — but we also face new responsibilities, relationships, and even new values.

Despite the benefits that the new ‘things’ in 2022 introduce into our daily lives, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of idolatry. Who knows what new technologies, new philosophies and new ideologies will be ushered in and who knows if they won’t tempt us to fall?

One thing’s clear — no matter what you place in your heart to replace God’s throne there, it can’t satisfy. It may give you comfort for now, but as soon as another New Year approaches, we realise how temporal these earthly things are. And this will always be the case, because we, as human beings, are both flesh and soul. While our physical desires are satisfied with the new things of the world, the wants of our souls are left neglected. 

What, then, is able to both satisfy and sustain us as we make our way through the New Year? Richard Baxter puts it rather simply: “Unbelievers seek their happiness in things of the world. Believers find their happiness in God.”Whatever change this new year promises, the only way we can strive on is if our happiness is firmly grounded in Him, who is unchanging and all-satisfying.

“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)

New Year, New God?

As the New Year goes on, we also must go on. We may not know what “rivers of trial” we’ll have to cross or what “Alps of life” that we must pass over, but what we do know is that we won’t have to walk alone. God doesn’t just give us instructions, a to-do list, and a first aid kit and expect us to make the journey. In fact, He goes with us. 

In Spurgeon’s 1892 New Year sermon, he addresses the congregation with the following statement. “I see … a Guide provided, as our companion along the way. To him we gladly say, ‘Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel.’ He is waiting to go with us through every portion of the road. ‘The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee.’ We are not left to pass through life as though it were a lone wilderness, a place of dragons and owls; for Jesus says, ‘I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18)’”

God never promised us a prosperous and comfortable road trip to the Celestial City. In fact, it’s very much the opposite (see 2 Timothy 3:12). What the path of 2022 will hold is still yet unknown, but we can be certain that He will walk with us even to the very end.

A month after making this sermon, Spurgeon completed his own journey of life, fully dependent and trusting in his faithful Companion. On the path of life of a true Christian, there will always be two sets of footprints. And at the times that only one pair of footprints are visible, we can be certain that it was then, God carried us. 

May God continue to guide us on this journey as we enter the New Year of 2022.

We’ve all been quoted proverbs before – throughout childhood, and even to this present day.

‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’

‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’

‘An apple doesn’t fall far from its tree.’

Any of these sound familiar?

One of the earliest sayings that I remember hearing is, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.’ At the time, it seemed to make sense. After all, harsh words can’t hurt us physically, and as far as I could see, it left no wounds. 

But as I grew up and started to interact and talk with more people (such as my teachers, friends, classmates, and even random strangers), I began to realise that words could indeed hurt. And perhaps, hurt even more than any physical wound.

The Bible addresses this truth several times, discussing it in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Unlike the saying, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me’, the Bible warns about the danger a careless tongue poses to both its owner and  surroundings.

Ironically, the book which addresses this topic the most throughout its chapters is the book of Proverbs, written by the renowned king of Israel, King Solomon.

If we flick to Proverbs 12:18, we are able to read that

 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Later on, it’s added that, 

“The soothing tongue is a tree of life,

    but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”(Proverbs 15:4)

Speaking is such an everyday occurrence that we don’t often think of how our words affect those around us. Sure, in public, we know to ‘think before we speak’, and we remember the usual common courtesy rules that apply to speech. But what about the times we’ve made hurtful jokes about others? Or when we snap at our siblings or parents for no good reason? Just like how our actions and desires have been corrupted by sin, it’s inevitable that our words, too, have been corrupted.

Last week, during my school’s weekly Bible study, we discussed chapter 3 of the book of James. What stood out to me about the chapter was how the author used analogies to describe just how dangerous our tongue was. 

In verses 3 to 6 in the chapter, the way the tongue directs the rest of our actions is described in three ways: how a bit in a horse’s mouth leads where the horse runs, how the rudder in a ship changes the course the vessel sails, and finally, how a tiny spark can set the entire forest aflame. We may argue that it was only a small insult, or it was only a few swear words, but we can’t stop the inevitable.

What comes out of our mouths came originally from our sinful hearts. As it says in Matthew 15:18,  “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them”. 

But does it have to stay that way?

If we have been saved by Christ, it means that we have received a new life and a renewed heart —meaning, our words, too, have to change.And yet, as we have all discovered, it’s not that easy. The Bible has never promised that the process of sanctification (especially of our words) will be a simple journey. 

However, in Christ, it is possible. 

Being a Christian means that our speech should reflect Christ, as that is who our hearts belong to. If we continue in using words that defile ourselves and those around us while at the same time claiming to be a Christian at church, what message are we sharing with those around us? We end up being hypocrites, and as a result, we cannot be a blessing to others. When we are sanctified by Him, all aspects of our lives must be given to Him — especially our tongue.

So what words should come out of our mouth? Ephesians 4:29 instructs us to speak graciously and encouragingly, saying, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. Our speech needs to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ, not tear down. 

Perhaps, when you meet up with your school friends, instead of continuously complaining about teachers you could remind them about the positive things as well. Maybe, when your siblings are getting on your nerves, you could opt for a more patient and peaceful reply. Or, when you see a friend struggling through something, you could encourage them and most importantly, pray for them.

Whatever your struggle is, it’s important to continuously study His Word and ask for His guidance. Even though we’re continuously reminded, it’s easy to forget that we aren’t alone in this fight.

Sticks and stones may break our bones, while words are able to hurt those around us. But our speech was made for much more than that: our words are meant to be a blessing for others. 

How will you use your words today?

We’ve all made sacrifices before – whether it was giving up a hobby for ministry or giving up a few dollars as an offering at church. Not all sacrifices were physical, and not all sacrifices were made happily, but we can agree that all of them were made at a certain cost to ourselves. 

Why, then, do we continue to make these sacrifices to God? After all, if we judge our actions by the world’s motto of ‘pleasure over pain, aren’t we being incredibly foolish?

When puzzling over questions such as these, it’s always best to turn to the very beginning, where the very first sacrifice to God was made by mankind.

The Very First Sacrifice

Most of us have heard about the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-16). Two brothers, sons of Adam and Eve, were presenting sacrifices to God. While Cain presented fruits of the ground as his sacrifice, Abel, being a shepherd, presented the fat of his firstborn lamb. It’s written that the Lord accepted Abel’s sacrifice while rejecting Cain’s. This led to Cain’s anger and jealousy, and although being warned by God, he went on to kill Abel, resulting in his punishment to be ‘driven from the ground’ for the rest of his life.

If we take this chapter for face value, some might argue that God was unfair to Cain – after all, why didn’t God accept his sacrifice?

Sacrifices in the Old Testament

If you take a look at the Old Testament, you’ll probably notice that there’s a lot of mentions of ‘sacrifices to God’ there. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelites, all sacrificed burnt offerings to God. Again, with many of the kings and prophets, they all sacrificed to God. 

If we open up to Leviticus 1, we’re presented with the instructions that the Lord gave Moses concerning the burnt sacrifices of the Israelites. This chapter is followed by three others, all involved in the topic of sacrifices. These include both animal and grain offerings, with the method of sacrificing depending on both the type of offering and motive. For example, a lamb offered as a peace offering would be killed in front of the tent of meeting with its blood thrown on the sides of the altar, while a bull being sacrificed as a sin offering would have its blood sprinkled seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of sanctuary. 

The main motives behind these sacrifices vary between thanksgiving/praise, penitence for sins, or self-dedication. No matter what type of sacrifice it was, it was a serious and holy matter. 

We must remember that God doesn’t need anything that we may sacrifice to Him – everything we own, even our very lives, were given to us by Him. It doesn’t matter how much you give Him – He is not obliged to us in any way for our sacrifices. 

What matters to God in a sacrifice is the attitude and state of heart of the giver.

But what exactly is involved in this state of heart? Let’s take a closer look!

1. Sacrifice wholeheartedly

Google defines the word ‘wholeheartedly’ as “with complete sincerity and commitment.” The keyword being complete. The words that recur throughout the first four chapters of Leviticus are ‘without blemish’ and ‘firstfruits’. In simpler terms, everything we sacrifice to Him must be the very ‘best’. 

When we look back at the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, we see that although both of them offered to the Lord, it was only Abel who presented the ‘best’ of his flock – the firstborn. Not only that, but it’s clear that Cain did not have the right state of heart, as seen by his jealousy towards and eventual murder of his brother. Even though animal sacrifices are no longer relevant to us, we must still sacrifice to God our best whether this means giving Him the ‘best’ of our time, the ‘best’ of our efforts, or the very ‘best’ of our lives.

2. Sacrifice cheerfully

It comes as no surprise that the sacrifices we make aren’t always made with a happy heart. I know from personal experience that we usually feel as if a cheerful heart in sacrificing is too much to require. But the truth remains.

I recall hearing this quote from a sermon. “If we refrain our lust, without cheerful obedience to please God’s heart, it is not holiness. Obedience becomes a grievous yoke to us.”

When we sacrifice comfort, pleasure, or an easy life for God, our first reaction is to grumble. But, if we are to sacrifice to God, we must give Him our all – and that includes our emotions. 

Whenever I complain about sacrificing my time and effort to help my mum, she always reminds me that it is better to not sacrifice at all than to sacrifice unwillingly. And the same definitely applies when we sacrifice to Him. 

3. Sacrifice all

A chapter I came across when reading Sara Barett’s book, Love Riot, was titled ‘Do You Love Enough to Give Everything?’ There, she mentioned a quote from an article that she had recently read, which changed her perspective on sacrifice to God. It read: “ ‘Lord, there’s nothing I won’t do for You. I will die for You!’ But I think Jesus is responding by pointing to places in our lives and saying, “Yes you are willing to die for me…but are you willing to let this thing die in you?” 

Paul writes in his letter to the Romans that, “we know that the law is spiritual” (Romans 7:14a), meaning that our obedience to Him must not be limited to purely external sacrifices. 

Sara Barett challenges the reader with the following question: “Can you think of any areas in your life you’ve been afraid to give to God?” If I were to be truthful, there’s too many aspects of my life that I’ve been unwilling to give – my free time, my hobbies, even my comfort zones. But if we are to sacrifice our best for Him, we must sacrifice all.

There are many spiritual heroes who sacrificed status, comfort, and their very own lives for God. One of the most inspirational for me personally is an evangelist named George Muller. Although his early college years were spent selfishly for himself, he sacrificed his reputation, status, allowance, human support and appreciation – all for God. We must sacrifice our entire lives to Him – in both physical and spiritual aspects. 

In the end, it’s only us individually who can make the decision – the decision to sacrifice our best and our all, with a cheerful heart. Don’t get me wrong – I guarantee (from personal experience) that the process won’t be easy, and it’ll cost you. But whenever we feel discouraged, we must remember Jesus- how He was willing to give up his position as the glorified Son of God in heaven to suffer on earth, and ultimately sacrificing His own life on the cross for our undeserving souls. 

Will you sacrifice for Him?