A slow Sunday afternoon—the last one of this year.
We are here again at the end of an infamously eventful year and the beginning of another, hopefully better, season. Usually, it is a time of pomp, fireworks and new resolutions (or, sometimes, a repeat of the old) but as I have grown older, this period of time has evolved more into a pause and deeper reflection, so that I remember the works of the Lord.
It is as the Psalmist says in Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days, so we may get a heart of wisdom.”
So, on that slow Sunday afternoon, I nestled cozily under a large blanket, with an open journal, pen and my Bible, trying to encapsulate with the Lord, this past year and the lessons that I have learned; two words keep running through my mind at this point—forgiveness and upheld.
Most people had a hard 2021; for some it has been more difficult and painful than the disastrous 2020. The pandemic and its roller coaster, global political hostility, upheavals of various magnitudes, distrust, economic uncertainty, instability, anger, rage, racial friction, moral depravity, natural disasters, persecutions and churches split on how to respond—what unsteady grounds to be on.
If you are like me, you have probably lived this past year zig-zagging between holding your breath and breathing, clenching and releasing tight fists, day after day. And sometimes, if I am being honest, the anger at the mess of it all has crept in. Anger because of confusion and of dashed hopes and dreams. Anger, that is really rooted in grief and weariness at how life is going. Anger, that is actually suffocating fear, every time I go into a patient room.
In this fear, one scripture that I have clung to as a reminder is Psalm 112:7-8.
“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.”
I have memorised and written this verse down multiple times, asking in faith for the Lord to make my shaking heart steady in Him, make my faith grow stronger, my joy more durable, the light brighter. And this is a prayer, I believe will be carried into the new year as we turn the page on 2021.
The word ‘steady’ in Hebrew is a passive verb meaning ‘upheld’, and it appears again and again in the Psalms.
Psalm 37:17- “The arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.”
Psalm 51:12 – “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Psalm 54:4 – “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.”
Psalm 119:116 – “Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope!”
Psalm 3:5 – “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.”
To be steadfast in the Lord, is to be upheld by Him. It is utter dependence and surrender on and in the One that sustains our life.
Spiritual steadiness in Christ is a tough lesson every believer learns daily, because we live in an unsteady world, among fickle people, in shaky times. But the good news is that we serve a steadfast God. A God of perfect love that casts out worldly fear and inspires obedience. A God who is patient in reminding us of His covenant to us.
Psalm 25:10 – “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”
Psalm 25:14 – “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant.”
Psalm 112:1 – “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments!”
So, the Lord has been patient in dealing with my fear this past year, while upholding me.
He has been wading through the murky waters of my anger, my confusion and has drawn me out.
Teaching me to forgive a year for all its badness and waywardness and harshness, because of His everlasting goodness.
Teaching me that no one wants good for me more than He does – not even me. Teaching me to trust His hand and way, even when I feel like I am squinting through my foggy glasses.
Teaching me to observe all that He has commanded, for He says—
“Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 20)
Teaching me to not just pray with my mouth “Thy will be done”, but align my heart and hope, praying that “My will match Thine”. Re-teaching and reminding me to not limit a Sovereign and Holy God to my human and unsteady conditions.
Elections, people, viruses, problems, joys and just life in general will spread and be cured, come and go, nations rise and fall, but those who trust in the Lord, shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).
Those who obey Him, fear Him, wait for His return shall renew their strength. What an assurance! Those that are bogged down with worry and worldly anxieties—they shall mount up with wings like eagles. Those that are worn out and exhausted by troubles and fears—they shall run and not be faint, they shall walk and not grow weary.
2 Timothy 2:19 says, “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
So today, as the year wraps up and comes to a close, take some time to rest in the knowledge that you are known by a God who has loved you before time even began. That you are being continually pursued by The Only Savior, who is able to uphold and sustain you with His mighty hand. When we call on the name of the Lord and turn away from our sin, He makes us into new vessels. Honorable vessels that can be used, that are set apart as holy and ready for His every good work. So, embrace that newness He is offering and resolve to continuously align your heart to His will, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
I pray that you ponder and remember all that the Lord has done in the past year, through the good and the bad, and that you wait in the Lord.
That you hear Jesus speak these words to your soul: Peace, be still. I am with you.
And that you remain unhindered and abiding in Him.
Humbly, Your sister in Christ,
Penninah Abigail Menezes
Have a Blessed New Year 2022!
Consider this:
As you step into 2022, remind yourself to be STILL for your Heavenly Father is in control:
S – Seek God intentionally and continually. He has the answers for all your questions. Say no to fretting and taking matters into your own hands.
T – Trust in His plans — they are plans to prosper you and not for harm. God intends good for you and sometimes we tend to forget that. Know that God is interested in our lives and that He wants it to be purpose-filled.
I – Ignore negativity and statements that act as a deterrent in your path of righteousness. The enemy does not want you to walk on the path that God directs you to tread on. And so, he plants people or situations in your life that sometimes make you drift away from God. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
L – Listen to God’s voice. While many of us might not have hear the distinct voice of God, we have had several divine interventions and nudges. Read His Word, for it is through the Scripture that God talks to us—His directions, His truth and His promises.
L – Love like Jesus. Above all, love! This is easier said than done. However, remind yourself that God loves us without any conditions and He expects us, the ones created in His likeness, to love the ones around us in the same way.