Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village
This article comes to you with ‘Happy New Year’! We normally greet each other ‘Happy New Year’ on every New Year day. Suddenly, the year 2023 is passing off into history with a new year of 2024 fast approaching with many challenges and uncertainties, and opportunities as well, ahead. Talking about ‘New Year, we generally mean another calendar year. In every passing year, God has His good deposits, no matter how well we know or aware of them.
Passing through another year or the rest of life is like a measurement of life span, achievement, advancement, progress and degree of success. For instance, the past year is considered as a year of failure or success in terms of health issue, academic pursuance, farm harvest, economic achievement and spiritual journey. ‘Finishing a Race’ may refer to, logically, a year of 365 days of activities covered in your life or the length one’s life. Say, the year 2024 or 2024 till the mortal end.
Running a Race
It is a term of sports to make geometrical comparison of both short-term and long-term human progress and achievement, life competition, a battle or participating in a contest. It also refers to fulfillment of a goal or dream of life. Every human has a purpose; and to achieve the goal of that purpose is race. A diligent person successfully completes his or her race while lazy people fail their course of life. The dimension of Race, either 2024 or 2024 and beyond includes the issue of your physical health, economic security, success in education, and promotion in a profession. We barely think in terms of biological age but generally in terms of escalation of life elevation and calibration.
Likewise, we think of God and our spiritual relationship with Him. People make assumable resolutions against those things that would displease God. Along the way, they live a confident and different life knowing that God is in control of human journey, living progressively a holier life. The Creator brings transition of life and progressive years. The same God (Heb 13:8) brings time and space; we analyze and number them as days and nights, weeks, months and years.
Every race has a finishing mark. The runner must complete the race-course by reaching the finishing point. A racer looks ahead, thinks a head and runs forward. He or she neither looks back nor stops en route. Likewise, life is a race. There are works to be done, duties to be performed, and challenges to overcome. Every person, whoever one may be, is mortally destined to end the race as the Bible says that ‘there is a time for everything’ (Eccl 3:1-8). But there is a new, an unending, life which is prepared for all the believers.
Finishing It Well
There is a cost of a ‘good finisher.’ People finish well when they see their vision with clarity. Fogginess and blurring cause and hinder the progress of a race. lear vision and performance go together. We all begin, continue and will complete. A birth day is a beginning day of uncertainty. A good completing day is a contributing day to the world. Legacies and values left by a person begin to germinate, grow and bear fruit. God welcomes a good finisher with ‘Well done!” Mortal ending of a good finisher is the beginning of happy eternity. The greatest thing in life is ‘doing good things’ to and for others.
The Bible is a book of New Year and new vision that shows us many people who began well with good ending. It also presents us people who started well with failure half way or with conclusion of misery. For example, our first father and mother, Adam and Eve, began but with grave failure when they disobeyed God. Iscariot Judas committed suicide after selling his master for money. The Bible shows that Satan has his evil strategies that trap people who have no faith or weak faith in God. Our life is like a race surrounded by many witnesses who are for you and against you as well. We are assured of winning the race if we have perseverance with our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:1, 2).
History tells us about assassination and termination of good leaders out of jealousy and hatred. Many good people lived short due to careless behavior and habit, and wrong venture while Bible tells us to be shrewd (Matt 10:16). Everyone is designed to conclude well, fulfilling the assignments. God wants us to promote godly value such as holiness, love and peace. May the year 2024 and beyond be a chapter of peace, wisdom, success, and sobriety in your life.
Tips for Success of Race
Of many personalities in the Bible concerning trustworthiness of life, the followings are the heroes and models for us to copy:
1. Abraham’s model of Faith in God.
2. Joshua’s model of Confidence in God.
3. Joseph’s model of Resoluteness.
4. Daniel’s model of Bravery.
5. Esther’s model of Perseverance.
6. Jesus’ model of Sacrifice.
7. Paul’s model of Completion.
Under His Wing
No one knows what is next except the Creator who mathematically knows the details of our future, beginning from the next moment. He holds the keys of our destiny, the course and distance of the journey. You can cross the Red Sea of life under His wing. You can soar up under His control. He is the good Shepherd, you will not fear. He will lead you to complete well your journey.
As you gaze and think of the course of 2024 and beyond, you need the hand of the One Who knows you and has authority over A-Z of your future. He knows what is ahead of you, both imminent and distant. He will help you to finish well. May His goodness follow you!
Happy Journey!
