29.Dec.24

Are you ready to let go of 2024 as we welcome in 2025? Will 2024 end happily? Everything has a beginning and an end. There’s the end to a day or month & now we are facing an end to the year 2024. In the bible, there is a clear beginning and end (Revelation 1:8; 22:13). To say that there is a beginning and an end, is to say that there is a purpose. At work, a project is started with an end in mind, so purpose is very important.

Apostle Paul finished his life very well because he was able to accomplish his purpose. Would you also like to finish well? May we all finish this year 2024 well and when the time comes for us to finish our life on this earth, may we also end it well just like Apostle Paul. Only when we finish 2024 properly can we enter 2025 happily with hope and thanksgiving. Let us learn from apostle Paul how he was able to finish so well.

1. First, let us put an end to the old self

1 Timothy and Galatians records apostle Paul confessing about his old self and his wrongdoings. He thought he was working for the righteousness of God (Galatians 1:13-14). He thought he had the greatest faith, by excelling above all others. He thought he was approved by God when he persecuted the Christians. He thought he was doing God’s work. But he completely changed when he met Jesus at Damascus (Galatians 1:16-17). Apostle Paul now considered his previous righteousness, faith and all his credentials and status as rubbish (Philippians 3:5-9). He was able to let go of his old self. Before 2024 ends, may God give us grace to put an end of our old self.

2. Next, let us finish this year well with thanksgiving

When we look back this past year, what do you remember more – the bad or the good? Sinful human beings tend to remember their negative experiences more, and we so easily forget God’s grace & His blessings. But the fact is that we are still here, alive & worshipping God, inspite of all the challenges and difficulties in 2024. Isn’t this a good enough reason to give thanks?

We cannot give thanks because we still have our passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). Greed is so powerful that it covers our heart of thanksgiving so we forget how much God has blessed us. Only when we crucify our greedy desires & passions to the cross, will we be able to give proper thanksgiving (Galatians 2:20; 6:14; Romans 6:6). The cross of Jesus gives us reason to give thanks. Please do not let 2024 pass without discovering the cross of Jesus in your life (Isaiah 57:15; Acts 2:38; 3:19)!

3. Lastly, let us finish the course by doing God’s work

We have learned in Leviticus that the drink offering has to be poured completely. Apostle Paul was the spiritual drink offering that had given his all. He was prepared to depart to the heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:6-8). He looked forward to this departure because he had finished his course & completed the work entrusted to him (2 Timothy 4:7). Likewise, we too need to finish our course and complete our work. Just because time has ended does not mean our work is done. All of us who serve and do God’s work must examine whether our efforts are bearing fruits.

How was apostle Paul able to say that he had fought the good fight so confidently? What is the fight we need to fight? 1 Timothy 1:18-19 gives the answer – it is our effort to keep faith and a good conscience. It is the fight against being a slave to the material things of this world (1 Timothy 6:9-12). It is the fight to take hold of eternal life (1 Timothy 6:11-12). It was a fight Apostle Paul said he had finished.

In a race, a good runner will know where the starting line and finishing line are, and where the obstacles are. So for the new year 2025 to end well, we too need to know the course, and what God has called us for (1 Corinthians 9:23-24), in order to receive the imperishable crown of life at the end (1 Corinthians 9:25). Knowing God’s purpose for us in 2025 is how we can finish 2025 well.

In conclusion, let us also keep our faith till the end of 2025 & even till the end of our lives. Faith is our weapon (Ephesians 6:16) against what we will face in 2025 (1 Peter 1:6-9). God will surely give us the grace to keep the faith that will receive the crown of righteousness at His coming (2 Timothy 4:8).

AMEN.