Focus on God

Pastor Gary Oser

The past couple years turned out to be more than we could have imagined! Who would have ever dreamed our church would be shut down for 11 Sundays? Who would have believed handshakes and hugs would become taboo? Who would have believed many people would be forced to be quarantined and isolated for periods of time?

As we begin the new year, we are hoping we don’t have another year like the previous two. We are hoping that as more people are vaccinated that things will return to more like normal. As a church, we look forward to continuing our Sunday School classes and our choir singing; we look forward to once again having Easter and Christmas cantatas.

Do we know what the future holds? I don’t know for sure. What I want to share in this article are a few things you can be sure of no matter what happens in the new year.

First, you can be sure that God will be there for you no matter what happens. God promises in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” As verse 6 goes on to say, we don’t have to be afraid because “the Lord is my helper.”

These past two years we learned that in the midst of difficult circumstances, God was always there to help and encourage us. I truly hope things will be better this year, but even if they are not, we can be sure that God is going to be there with us and help us. He promises to never leave us!

Second, we can be sure that God is in control, that He is using all the events that happen for His purposes. There have been changes in leadership in our country these past two years, and with them changes that have impacted our lives.

We may not always like them, but we must remember God is allowing them to fulfill His purposes. As Romans 8:28 well says, “God is causing all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purposes” (NASB).

Finally, among other things I could share with you, be encouraged because Jesus is coming soon! As believers, we have a hope that other people do not have. As the angels said as Jesus ascended into heaven, “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

Don’t become discouraged by what may happen around you, but as the song says, “Keep your eye fixed on the eastern sky,” be watching and ready for the Lord to come!

I sincerely hope the new year will prove to better than the last two. However, even if it doesn’t, we can be encouraged by these truths which are found in God’s Word. May you be encouraged and grow to be more like Jesus this year!