(Vicky Earll)
It’s a new year and many of us hope again for good things, some of us desperately hope this year will be different to the last, and some are nervous about the year that lies ahead.
What will 2013 bring for us as individuals, families and a church? What determines this? Is it a set of random events that we have no control over, or is it determined by our choices? If we believe that everything that happens in this world is already predetermined, then our choices will have no affect upon what happens in 2013. I don’t believe that is the way God works. Our loving God has chosen for the sake of relationship to give us true choice, and has entrusted to the entire human race the rule of the world.
That is why prayer is so important. Prayer is the tool by which we invite God to be involved in the rule of the world with us. It is a bit like a landlord and tenant. A tenant looks after the home and has full rein of the property – a landlord, while owning the property, only comes into the property and gets involved in solving problems with the property when invited by their tenant.
Understanding our authority is also important. God has chosen to bring about His goodness on the earth through human beings. Therefore we choose whether or not we want to be in relationship with Him, have His Holy Spirit living inside of us and allow His spirit to work through the authority we have been delegated to rule the world. You are a very powerful person by virtue of the fact that you were born human! What will you use your authority for? Will you grow your authority, empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the goodness of God on the earth? Will you help write a history of 2013 that involved more of God’s peace (the essence of His kingdom and rule) on the earth?
Jesus has overcome evil on the cross but we still live in the ‘in-between’ and so there is still evil at work on the earth. There is a battle going on. Sometimes we do get caught in the crossfire and bad things happen. But if we continue to stand and do not give up on believing in the goodness of God, we will see evil overcome and things change.
You might ask: where does that leave me? There are some things that may happen to you this year that you have no control over – these could be good or bad. But you can determine how you respond and therefore determine how the story ends. As followers of Jesus we have the hope of glory inside of us. We do not need to be victims of any circumstance, however bad. We can overcome and more forward. Doing this will cost us - it will take time and may be painful, but it is always worth it.
For most of us, the majority of what happens to us in 2013 is largely determined by our choices. Will I believe in God? Will I let him work in me and through me? Will I make bold and courageous choices to be who I am created to be? Will I step out in faith and radical obedience?
I - and many others - believe we live in an important season for our country. The news is full of doom and gloom, and with the economic pressures and government cuts, many are feeling depressed and anxious about the future. But this is not the end of the story. Come and write the story with me… let’s write a crazy adventure where - like all good stories love overcomes every evil and triumphs for good!
