Since 2017. Bishop Lewis has been encouraging the Virginia Conference to read the Bible in a year. Each year has featured a different way of reading. For 2019, she challenges us again to read the Bible. Please see bishop challenge 2019!
I want to share my devotion of the first day of this new year.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:1-2).
I often had enjoyed the Sun rise when I was in Colonial Beach. When the sun rising is shown clearly in a good weather (without clouds or fogs), It is so beautiful and glorious. Its ray makes a yellow path on the water. Its light exhales the shining glory all over the directions. It takes about several minutes to shine his light brightly on the surface of the water. Then it rises on the sky and beings to run a day again as usual. That is a new day starting for all creatures making life diligently under the sun.
The days of year 2018 have gone beneath the history and new days of year 2019 have risen above land and sea. Now God gives each and every one of us a new year, to which no one has ever been and touched. This New Year is given to us like a big blank paper where we will draw our life journey. What life we are going to walk along of this New Year.
In Korean tradition, same as many Asian country tradition, the animal of this year is a golden pig. Haha…. It symbolizes the prosperity. When we change a year, we experience new atmosphere and feeling. But in several days, we become same as usual. Our resolutions will be faded away in a month. Our new calendar on the wall becomes nothing new but just indication of days. As the Ecclesiasts says, there is no new thing under the sun.
But today’s reading text of Revelation shows us an absolute different heaven and earth which will be renewed completely. It will come true someday only known by
God the Father. Today is a dream coming true of yesterday. Tomorrow is another fulfillment of the dream of yesterday. I am dreaming the day I will be with the Lord forever in the eternal newness to be given by the Lord. On the first day of the New Year, everything seems to be same as usual. And yet, there is important newness going on, Invisible newness in our hearts and minds. Surely, we know that we are in the new day and New Year in our thought and emotion. With this new minds and hearts, I would like to serve the Lord and the people for all this year.
Last night, we had a New Year’s Eve Spiritual Renewal service. It was a great moment of renewal of my spiritual journey. Rev. Ed Johnson and Rev. Tom Austin joined me together in service and blessings.
I felt a strong presence of the Lord while we prayed with the people. That was a true renewal from our hearts and minds. That was a true blessing moment for each person. Thanks be to God for His blessing with the renewal now and forever.
Lord, thank you for allowing us to enter another new year 2019. Abide us to the great heaven and earth of the Ultimate Kingdom of God. Lord, give us wisdom and spiritual strength and growth through all this year that we may enter the eternal Kingdom of God with joy and conviction. In Christ, we pray. Amen.
I inform you the following,
Newsletter Jan 2019and Calendar Jan 2019. I put our plan of Discipleship Training and Small Group ministry. You can see Nomination report and the Summary of Year 2019’s Planning Calendar in the Newsletter.
We launch our Discipleship Training at Laurel Hill United Methodist Church. The meeting place is “Amen Class” in the basement of the church. 