City Life Starter

Year in Review

What a year it has been!  2016 was a year full of events that will go down as one of those years that I will never forget.  I mean, Chicago Cubs broke their 108 year old curse to win the world series.  I am not a baseball fan, but throughout the years, I have met many faithful Cubs fans that believed that they would win the world series, only to be disappointed year after year.  So congratulations Chicago Cubs and all you faithful fans, you know who you are.  And how about the United States Olympic team dominating the world in sports.  How about the women’s gymnastics team, where Houston’s own Simeon Biles dominated in all the events?  And Simeon Manuel, who won gold in the 100 meter swim event?  Their medals also symbolize more, breaking barriers as the first African-Americans to win in these events.

There are some events that cause us to think, “how did that happen?”  I mean, whether you support him or not, we have Donald Trump as the future president of the United States.  I had numerous conversations throughout the year, both Democrats and Republicans’, voice their support.  I must say, I have heard many heated conversations of how their candidate is the best choice for the future of the United States and opposite candidates will destroy the country.  What was most funny about the presidential election was how the world showed interest in our election.  I had a Canadian gentlemen bet me a magnum ice cream bar if I was wrong, though I did not show any support to either candidate.  Just to let you know, I won!  Now my glorious magnum bar awaits!

There were some events that led us to think how can there be travesties in the 21st century  such as Aleppo, Syria to Mosul, Iraq.  We have seen hundred and thousands of refugees displaced from their home, fleeing to survive.  We have also seen Islamic militant groups such as ISIS and Al Shabaab kill innocent Christians.  How about all the terror attacks throughout the world, including in the USA.  These events broke our hearts in 2016.

Personally, I have seen such events that broke my heart in Israel.  UNESCO passed resolutions that the Temple Mount, a historical location where the Temple of God once stood, has no connection to the Jewish people but Muslims alone.  This isn’t just a Jewish issue, but it affects you and me as Christians.  That if we believe there was never a temple, we compromise our faith in the inerrancy of the Bible, which means the Old Testament would be full of flaws and cannot be taken seriously.  Not only this, the United Nation passed numerous resolutions against Israel, demonizing them to be the root and cause of the current Middle East conflicts.  This can cause serious consequences with the rise of terrorism to Jewish people and for Anti-Semitism around the world.  Thank God Israel has their own land they can call their own, where they can live safely even though there are terror attacks, missile attacks, and the killing of innocent people.

How about many life events we experienced in 2016, both abundance of joy to excruciating pains.  We have seen our family and friends experience celebration and joy of bringing new life unto earth but also some of their loved one’s pass.  We have experienced much laughter but also shed many tears.  I am sure you have experienced many of them yourself.

We are counting down the final days of 2016, which means we are closing one chapter of our lives to begin the New Year in 2017.  For our family, it is the time of the year we reflect upon the past year to see all the accomplishments but also look at shortcomings and failures.  It is a time of reflect, rejoice, repent, and restore.

Reflect

What happened in 2016?  If you are making a movie of yourself from January 1st to today, how would it go?  I hope it isn’t just you walking into your office from 9AM to 5PM.  Where did you go?  What did you do?  Were there any life altering events?  Did you pick up a hobby?  While compiling these events, ask yourself most important question, How is your relationship with God?  How was your spiritual journey?  How is your spiritual inventory?  Are you spending time with God by meditating in God’s Word and prayer?  Spend some time creating a list to look back into the year to see what happened in 2016.

Rejoice

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, NKJV)

Paul in his writing to Philippians, he concludes his letter to encourage readers to rejoice in all the things they face in life, even rejoicing in suffering.  What are some events in 2016 that you are thankful for?  For example, relationship with God, relationship with family and friends, health, jobs, etc.    

Repent

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NKJV)

This is where you have to be honest with yourself, in the light of God’s Word and His commandments to see if your life reflects Christ.  There are many moments that I say to myself, there is too much “me” and not enough “Christ.”  Many believers led to believe that the only result of sin is punishments from God.  Though it is partially true, I believe that the greatest result of sin is separation from God.  Let me plead to you, for Christ-sake and your loved one’s sake, confess your sins to Him.  He is faithful and just to forgive ur our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Restore

“As for you also,

Because of the blood of your covenant,

I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Return to the stronghold,

You prisoners of hope.

Even today I declare

That I will restore double to you.” (Zechariah 9:11-13, NKJV)

There is character of God that I love, that He is restorer, whether He ordained and called Nehemiah to rebuild and restore the walls of Jerusalem to saving a nation as a whole.  Think of this way, we are restored in relationship with Him because He sent His only Son, that we may once again restored from broken relationship, in Genesis.  There is condition in God’s way of restoring what was broken, that we repent from our sins.  I fully believe that there cannot be restoration from God, unless we repent and turn to Him.  God’s promise to restoration is always greater than our own expectation, He will restore double to you.

JY