I think we all can agree that 2020 was a doozy. Many terrible things happened in 2020, Covid-19, political tension, and racial unrest, to name a few. Yet, despite the horrible things about it, 2020 has had an impact on me unlike any other year before.
A Longing For A Better World
In 2020, I experienced a strong longing for a better world that I never had before. A world where there is no more tension, no more sickness, no more death, no more pain and sorrow, no more corruption or injustice, a place where there is unity and love and joy and peace. If I had to guess, I’m probably not alone in this. I think we can all agree that this present age does not fulfill our longings, for example, 100% of people that are born die, not all sickness are healed, our justice system is corrupt, and division is a constant. My soul groans and longs for something better, for redemption, like in Romans 8: 22-23 (English Standard Version):
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
Many of us, myself included, would just love to put 2020 behind us and hope for better things to come in the new year. We hope that things will get better, that the pandemic will end, that we will be united as a country, that justice and righteousness would prevail, but deep down we know that this year will most likely have the same struggles and bring new troubles.
2021 Will Disappoint
2021 will disappoint us, it will disappoint me, it will disappoint you. I’m not trying to be a Debbie-downer, but that is the truth we all know. Many of the longings of our heart for the new year will never come to pass in this life. Why is that? Because inside we are longing for a new world. This world cannot and will not satisfy. This world is cursed because of sin.
You see, God never intended for death and corruption. He intended for us to flourish and live in a perfect sinless world full of joy and peace and perfect fellowship with him. So what changed God’s original design for us? Sin, Adam and Eve’s original sin and our sin. Our sin brought corruption and cursed the world.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned (Romans 5:12, ESV)”
The Dilemma
We are all sinners. “We have all sinned fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23, ESV)” and none of us can stand before a holy God because we have not measured up to the standards that he requires, as James 2:10 (ESV) puts it,”For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”
There is no good that you can do to earn your way to heaven, even if if you’re as good as Mother Teresa, you still will not be able save yourself. You will never have the righteous that God requires, Therefore God says in Ezekiel 18:20 (ESV) “The soul that sins shall surely die.”
So is there any hope for us? Are we bound to experience God’s wrath and judgement after we die for all eternity?
Good News
But there is good news. God made a way for sinners like me and you to escape the eternal wrath and punishment that we deserve. God knew that we were helpless and could not save ourselves from our sin, so God sent His Son Jesus Christ to be born of a virgin, live the perfect life that we could not live, suffer and die on a cross so that those who believe in Him will have eternal life and be freed from the bondage of Sin.
Jesus is the perfect sacrifice that God requires for our sin,”But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified(Hebrews 10:12-14).”
Those who believe in Jesus Christ as their savior take on Jesus righteousness, because Jesus bore our sins and punishment on the cross, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10, ESV).” We will be with him forever and our death is just a passage to eternal life. This doesn’t mean that we will never sin, but when we do, our sin is paid for and God promises to strengthen us to overcome sin, and eventually we will be free from sin.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24, ESV)
A Secure Hope
Those who are believers in Christ have a secure and sure hope that the longing our their hearts will be fulfilled. God will create a new heaven and a new earth one day and will restore those who trust in Christ to his original design for creation, where there will be no more sadness, sorrow, tears or pain. God will punish all evildoers and justice and righteousness will reign forever. There is sure hope that 2021 cannot bring. I truly do wish that 2021 is better than 2020, however we cannot be certain it will be. But those who believe in Christ have a better hope, a sure hope that will come to pass.
“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. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling placea] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,b] and God himself will be with them as their God.c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21: 1-4).”
No matter what 2021 will bring, we know that this world and all of its corruption will one day pass away. Those who trust in Christ as their Savior, soon will live in a perfect world, full of everything that we long for and free of everything we don’t, in the presence of our Father with joy and peace for all eternity.
You ladies are incredible! It’s good to see how God uses you and the Athletic Avacado. Thank you for walking the walk. You are an example to me of unrelenting faith and that encourages me. Have a joyous New Year, whatever it brings.
2020 has certainly gone down in history – in the most varied senses and for the most diverse reasons. It was a year of challenges, sacrifices, losses and profound transformations. A year of hard farewells, but also of learning to see joy in small things, of valuing the minimum privileges, such as having the opportunity to have food at home… of making a simple recipe and being able to satisfy hunger. It was also a year of realizing what is really valuable and the fundamentals of having quality time with those we love.
In 2020, the terms ‘self-knowledge’, ’empathy, ‘ephemerality’, ‘resilience’, ‘control’, ‘hope’, ‘gratitude’, ‘hugs’ and ‘miss you’ gained new meanings.
2020 forced people to look intimately at themselves, to face their shadows, to seek light. It brought 12 months of opportunities to (re)evaluate ourselves, deconstruct, rebuild. It gave chances to leave outdated visions and versions behind and give new meanings to concepts and behaviors.
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I think the size of chicken breasts has changed dramatically since Julia Child’s day, which could account for some of her shorter cook time.