Word of the Year 2020, Looking ahead to 2021
Dear NLC family, blessed new year!
The year 2020, a year like no other, slipped away as we continue to battle against COVID-19. At the end of every year, media from all over the world ask the public to choose a word that they feel best represents the year that is ending. For the year 2020, many words related to COVID-19 have been chosen: 罩mask, 命fate, 瘟plague, 宅stay-home, 惶panic, 灾disaster, 封lockdown, 误mistake, 囤hoard, 关shutdown, etc. All these words, undoubtedly, portray genuine feelings of people around the world. Yet, no matter how hard the situation has been, life must go on. Let us welcome the new year with the hope that this pandemic will pass soon. Let us also continue to live well in this new normal.
No matter what we have been through last year, good or bad, we should always be grateful. Thank God for His care and protection. Thank God for walking with us in this uncertain time. We are truly blessed children of God. Like this hymn “The Songs of Trials” (https://youtu.be/zwhMjfoDdPg) describes:
When I am hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
Perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not abandoned;
Struck down, but not destroyed,
The life of Jesus may be revealed in my body.
(Chorus) Fix my eyes on the future glory,
And my hopes on the heavenly kingdom.
These temporary sufferings shall be transformed
To eternal life and strength in His glory.
It is dawning;
And following a storm, a rainbow shall pierce the clouds.
Life and death
Separated only by a thin line
I’ll be blessed by the heavenly lights after all these trials.
Thank God! His Words through the lyrics touch us and lift our spirits. When we look back, we understand God’s heart. God has granted us opportunities and grace to learn new things each day as we adapt to the new normal. Besides, we have made every effort to bring God’s peace and hope to our family members, relatives, friends, and church brothers & sisters who have been suffering. Praise the Lord! This is what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” As Christians, we definitely choose “Peace” as our “Word of the Year 2020”.
Dear NLC family, give thanks to God! The new year is here! Let us have faith and move forward with confidence no matter what tomorrow will bring. We shall overcome time and space constraints, reach out to more non-Christian relatives and friends. Together we can achieve our new vision – “FAITH is realized through LIFE empowered by the MISSION”. May God’s name be glorified.
Elder Boon Teck