A TIME FOR REDEDICATION
As the year 2008 ends, a new year 2009 kicks in because the end of one year is the beginning of another. It’s a time of the year for stock taking, self appraisal and re-examination. Some organizations hold events where the vision bearers [CEO] look back on the activities that had driven the vision of the past one year. They condemn laxities and wastages; commend and perhaps reward hard work, proactive-ness, good initiatives and excellence. They look into the future and the emerging challenges facing the organization; urged employees for more commitment and rededication to the ideals and goals of the organization in order to survive and consolidate in a tough business environment and through world financial crises. They marshal out strategies to refocus and detail achievable plans toward meeting their goals. In this hard economic times, some cut down expenditure, labour forces and large overheads and could short down production line[s], if need be. Some organizations had already shut down businesses and retrenched large workforce since they could not cope with the harsh business environment. Churches do similar appraisals and refocusing.
End/beginning of year is a very important and busy time for Churches. The Church is in the business of mending and rebuilding human souls. From Thanksgiving to the New Year, Churches have line up of services and activities that bring people together to worship and praise God. Especially during the cross over events, members come together to recount their blessings; recall and repent in areas they had failed their God. They acknowledge and confess their shortcomings and lapses; some don’t like to call them sins because there embarrass them [known and unknown], while asking for God’s forgiveness. Worshippers thank God for His mercies and for the great things He has done in their lives and households. Even some, who are non-Church members, believe in God’s love and provisions; they find time to pop into nearby Churches for End of year/ New Year thanksgiving service. During such services, people are prompted to give their lives to Christ, even though some may have done so earlier but succumbed to life’s pressures, temptations, broken vows or had fallen into misdeeds and shortcomings.
The Gospel messages urge Christians to re-examine and recommit themselves to God and His service. We are charged to put behind us all our past failures, disappointments, losses and evil intentions: even thoughts of revenge, unforgiveness, malice and grudges. We should not forget that if not for God’s grace and mercies, embedded in His unfailing love, we could have been consumed; His compassion is renewed every morning. Again the eye of the Lord is on the righteous from the beginning of the year to the end. The past must be laid to rest and all its associated pains, if we intend to move forward. The old cannot go together with the new; it shall corrupt or adulterate it. It is the time of the year we look back to where we came from and cannot but wonder how we made it to where we are. We appreciate God’s compassion that turned our mourning into dancing, our losses into gains, our poverty into great riches and sickness into wellness. We should celebrate God’s magnificence and faithfulness; His grace and unfailing love.
It’s a season to celebrate and usher in the coming of New Year, a New Beginning and a New Dawn. Celebration may not necessary means dancing. Rather it could be a state of mind; likened to rejoicing even as you pass through difficult situations, disappointments, death of a loved one or even business failures. You rejoice even when the year that is running out was not so eventful; when it seems all your prayers were not answered but we keep trusting God and follow His leading and trusting outcomes into His hands; for Him alone knows the end from the beginning, to Him be glory and honor for evermore.
The Book of Nehemiah records an occasion during the Festival of Booths that the Jews assembled in Jerusalem to worship God and rededicate themselves to Him. They listened to Ezra read the book of the law and the Levites’ interpretation and explanation.
Dedication and rededication often take place around events; it’s a time or period of reflection and accountability. It could be in commemoration of Festival of Passover, conquest of Canaan, Christmas, remembrance of uncommon events, Birth and Naming of a child and Anniversary of events. The people usual look back on great things the Lord had done, experiences they passed through etc. The Jews assembled and declared a fast; set themselves apart and confessed their sinfulness. The Levites traced the history and the extent of God’s grace and mercies among the Jews, how they were chosen and preferred among others on the surface of the earth. They began from the creation, the call of Abraham to leadership, their oppression in Egypt and their release under Moses leadership; wandering the desert and crossing the Red Sea and Jordan. Yet the Israelites were still rebellious to God.
Despite all their failings, God’s compassion and faithfulness remained unshaken. God has not forgotten His covenant with their fathers: the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. The Levites urged the people to return to God and remain faithful to Him alone; to renew their vows to God and promise to remain abiding to the laws of Jehovah, refrained from worship of idols and marriage with foreigners, to keep the Sabbath holy and support the ministry of the Levites as well as help to see the temple needs met. They were charged not to mourn or weep but rather sanctify themselves, go home and eat well prepared meal and drink sweet wine; send some to the have-nots and helpless that had no body to give them. They were asked to rejoice because the Lord was their strength [Nehemiah 8:1-10, 39; 10:28-29].
The coming of a New Year is a remarkable event that calls for deep reflection and renewal of mind; it calls for rededication of our lives to God who has led us by His compassion through another year, into a new season and new dimension. We are challenged to count our blessings for the past one year; it will surprise us to know that we have more than enough reason to thank God for all He has done. After all many who started last year did not make it to the end, talk less of seeing a new year. If we must navigate through the year successfully we need to abide in the Lord; renew our minds and be commit to Him alone. He will in return guide our steps and direct our paths. In spite of all the storms and strong winds we passed through, He who brought us in, will carried us through. As we gather at home and in Churches during this event, we must confess our sins: sins of all kinds that impact our relationship with God and one another.
As we move into the New Year, we should not forget that we are in the midst of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. Times are hard. These did not just happen overnight but gradually we were enjoying our sufferings just like the children of Israel in Egypt but lived in denial. In our eyes our mortgage industry went under, the world street tumbled and our 401 k disappeared and even the natural resources revolted again humanity; some organizations collapsed in the face of harsh economic environment and our brethren lost their means of livelihoods and, consequently some lost their homes as well as households. Those working face high rates of inflation and their incomes cannot buy their needs. These states of affair affect Church contributions, budgets and our giving’s to the less privileged. Some members of the Church have taken to two or three mania jobs in attempts to meet their expenses; that affect healthy family living and attendance to Church programs. Some families have fallen apart because of attacking each other instead of the problems facing them. However, there is good news, news of hope, hope of change and God’s intervention as well as restoration. The way up again may not be easy but I hear the sound of abundance and a season of prosperity returning to us since Jesus is still on the throne and the Lord of life. He’s ‘Unchangeable Changer’ and changes all life’s situations. We rededicate our lives back to Him and His service. This is our challenge in this new era. Have a fruitful new life in the New Year.
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill at: weefreeministries@yahoo.com or P. O. Box 720035, Texas, 77272.