Saturday 11 January 2014

Goodnews for the year

Good news for the year; God doesn’t register a scorecard against us

 

Its yet another great year full of expectations and hope. Its another year that is promising us changes, growth, new challenges, new opportunities and the many iverse things we expect to see in a new year.

 

January is that time of the year where New Year resolutions are trading like Hot –cake. Our performance levels seem to sky rocket because we believe somehow that there is something new and special something that fosters an extra impetus for life as we approach a new year. Yet when the clock ticks and the month crosses over many of us feel weighed down by the expectations we had for the new year. We get into that place where the rubber meets the road . I have been to that place too, where I made many rules for myself to govern me through the year but immediately February starts I get struck with the numerous demands of your resolutions list, stressing, isn’t it?

 

 

Romans 8:1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Esv)

 

8:1 there is only one conclusion. God has not registered a scorecard against us. In Christ discover the true gift of no condemnation. Discover how to walk in the manner of your true design (the spirit) and not after the manner of contradictions (flesh) (Kainos amplified)

 

 

 

 

So what about the scorecard?

Life comes along with its demands, some demands we impose for ourselves. At the end of the day we have scorecards to hit. We are governed by life full of deadlines, bills to pay, people to satisfy, rules to follow, seasons, plans, etc. When we don’t attain the levels which life has for us, we get upset, disappointed, derailed, furious with ourselves and others.

 

I love the conclusion that Paul arrives at. That now there is no scorecard registered to us by God. We may be tempted to think that the same way life demands from us is the same way God demands from us. God thoughts though are higher than our thoughts and his ways higher than our ways.

 

So what now?

In Christ discover the true gift of no condemnation. We don’t live by our lives resolutions but by the gift of God. You wonder why many people are dissatisfied with life, its because of the demands we think we have to meet in order to enjoy life.

 

In this new year, you may have set goals for your life(which is not bad, actually very commendable.) you may say, in this year, I want to pray more, to be a more loving spouse, to be a more devoted Christian, etc. You may stick to your resolutions or you may fail. The conclusion is this and is what gives me insurmountable peace and comfort that God is not busy examining my next failure or success. What we should be worried about is being in Christ rested and having his life influencing us everyday of our lives. It gives God pleasure to avail to us his life.

 

Friends there is a life that is higer than this lowly life of deadlines, resolutions, bills to pay, worried about the next meal. This life is called In Christ, where the life of Christ is our life, where the peace of Christ is our peace, where the inheritance of Christ is our inheritance.

 

In this year you can live a live free from condemnation. Even as you look forward to achieve certain things , know that you are not governed by what you do, by your failures or success. You are in Christ even when things are not working for you. I call this Peace and serenity right in the centre of storms of life. You are blessed.

Why is the gospel the good news?

Because it is an announcement: if I had something good and keep it to myself, the good thing remains with me. The gospel is not the go...