A Glance Back at the year 2017

As the year 2017 draws to a close it is worth taking a look back on how we have lived this year. I am continually being reminded of this fact that with each passing year, I am drawing closer to the time when I will stand before God to give an account of my life. However far this day may seem, you can be sure that it is coming soon and few of us can say that we are well prepared to meet our God. In this age and time, we are seldom moved to live for eternity given the innumerable cares and the many enticements of this earthly life. However, for sincere Christians it will do much good to their souls if they take the time for some personal reflection of their own spiritual progress. Am I closer to Christ than I was in the previous year? Do I love Him and enjoy Him more? Have I developed a deeper hatred for sin and worldliness? Do I love the things that God loves and hate the very things that he hates? Have I allowed the Holy Spirit to work freely in my heart so that I am more like Christ today than I was the year before? These are questions we must prayerfully consider if we must make real progress in the Christian life. There are some who would agree that this has not fully been their experience this year. To them, much encouragement is given by God. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Is 41:10. What a merciful and loving God we have! We may have failed, but He is ready to uphold us with his righteous right hand. 2017 may have not started well, but with God we will finish well. We will look to him who is the author and finisher of our faith. Let's prepare our hearts to finish this year well. We will finish well if we thrust ourselves into the mighty arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This year for some of us may have been marked with bitter experiences and backslidings. For some, our busy lives have kept us away from the prayer closet and feeding upon His word. Nevertheless the Lord promises to heal our backslidings and set us free from every bad experience that we would have gone through. He is able to cleanse your heart and make it like the heart of a new born baby. O dear friend, do not tarry. Come quickly to the table of the Lord, come into His presence and cry out to Him. Confess every sin and tell Him how much you need Him. Trust Him with the future and make your need known to Him. He invites you with arms open wide. Be Blessed!