By Snr Ps Beh Soo Yeong
As we step into 2024, I am sure you have many aspirations and wishes for the year, but are they of the LORD? In last week’s pastoral page, Elder Lynette reminded us of the importance of seeking God’s will to redeem our time. So, what is the LORD’s will or God’s destiny for you in Christ?
What is destiny? Or what is God’s will for us? Scriptures tell us that all of us who are believers are being made to conform to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8.29; Ephesians 4.13). In other words, we are to become more and more like Jesus – in his character, desires, priorities, passions, and mission etc. Specifically, we become like Jesus, fulfilling his agenda and mission in the particular context of our lives, wherever God may call or send us – in our family, our friends, our work, our seasons of life, our spheres of influence etc. So, while the general will of God for us is the same, it is expressed and evidenced in and through our unique person and life-setting.
In 2023, we were challenged to step out of our comfort zone. In the book of Acts, we saw how the apostles and disciples received power when they were filled with the Holy Spirit to be Christ’s witnesses. They stepped out of their comfort zone to do things they had never done before. Their worldview and perspective had to undergo a paradigm shift because they now operate under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Likewise, we learn to step out of our comfort zone, guided by the Spirit to invest ourselves in the things that matter – those that God directs us to. One could simply step out of one’s comfort zone, merely to fulfil a bucket list item or a dare challenge with no significant or eternal impact. While these may be good and helpful in stretching us, it is even better to direct these faith-stretching acts to our call as Christ’s witnesses. Therefore, it is imperative that we step out of our comfort zone to fulfil God’s destiny for our lives.
As a person in the marketplace, God has called you to fulfil your destiny in and through your work and workplace. As a student, God has called you to fulfil his purpose in and beyond your school. As a homemaker, God has called you to serve him in the home. As a parent, God has called you to be his witness through your parental role and responsibilities. Even for a retiree, God is not done with you. He is still calling you to fulfil your destiny in your various pursuits and relationships. As long as we have breath in our lungs, God’s destiny for us remains.
As we seek to fulfil our destiny in Christ and reach out to others, we need to do it as a community. To guide us in this endeavour, we will be studying the book of Joshua for 2024. Joshua shows us that God will enable us to fulfil our mission and destiny, if only we are willing and faithful. From a people wandering in the desert, the Israelites were transformed into a fighting force ready to take back the land that God had already promised, not by their own strength and might, but by the power of the LORD. It demanded consistent Consecration (Joshua 1.1-5.12), before their courageous Conquest (Joshua 5.13-13.7) of the land to fulfil God’s Calling (Joshua 13.8-24.33) for their lives. Ultimately, their destiny was not just to be in the land, but to be the blessing to the nations!
What lessons can we glean from this book to teach us about fulfilling our destiny in Christ? These are life’s truths and lessons that I pray will be revealed to and lived out in us in the year ahead. At the same time, notwithstanding life’s challenges and trials, I pray that we will find the strength in the Lord and support and encouragement from one another as a community of faith.
Let us GROW, by stepping out of our comfort zone, INTO OUR DESTINY IN CHRIST!