2 Corinthians 4:7-15 “ 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[a] Since we have that same spirit of[b] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.2020 was a year of dramatic change. Covid 19 has resulted in nearly every family globally affected. Loss of life and severe sickness and lingering physical problems resulting. Restrictions on gathering still linger, and illness continues to be spreading. Vaccines promised to cure and prevent illness is hope the world is putting it’s trust in. Population is being told to trust science and trust in vaccine to stop this pandemic.But what does scripture tell us? There are ample scriptures that apply and give a common answer to this question. Below is one such important answer from scripture. Solomon had just finished building the first temple located in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem. Solomon’s father, David, had built a magnificent palace and Jerusalem had grown significantly during David’s reign. Solomon sought wisdom instead of riches from God during his reign, but riches and power turned Solomon’s heart away from God and to the pagan gods of his many wives.But Solomon sincerely followed God during the writing of this passage from 2 Chronicles 1-8. 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 gives us God’s revelation to Solomon after dedicating the Temple just completed. “11 When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared to him at night and said:“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.17 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.’19 “But if you[a] turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”I invite you to read 2 Chronicles 1-8 and notice Solomon’s heart towards God. Also notice how God protected David and Solomon and blessed them. The reason was their love for God and their faithfulness to Him. David’s sin with Bathsheba nearly cost him his life but God forgave and let his reign and life continue. Why? Because David repented and sought God’s forgiveness and help to turn from temptation.Sacrifice of an animal was required for God’s forgiveness until Jesus came as God in a human body. Jesus exampled a perfect sinless life and His willing death on a Roman cross became our sacrifice God required for forgiveness. But God’s plan made Jesus’ sacrifice sufficient to grant forgiveness to all people of all times but only valid for individuals who willingly accept this precious gift of forgiveness and salvation. Jesus said Himself that He is the One and only way to acceptance by Father God. John 14:6 “6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”Christmas is the time of year we recognize Jesus’ birth and is immediately followed by New Year. God has a wonderful way and passion to forgive, but He can only forgive if the punishment required for sin is paid. But because of His perfect love, He chose to pay that price alone because no other human was worthy to pay that price and no animal was either.God’s creation displays His Heart, Mind, and Soul. Every morning gives each one of us a brand new day with opportunity to start over and forgiveness for sins and errors of yesterday. New Year’s Day is a time of reflection of previous year and plan for new year. An opportunity to seek God’s Will and Plan for coming year. You see, God created time along with everything else so is not limited by time, so He is already in our future preparing it for us. God is never surprised or unaware but is always prepared and ready. When we seek His Will and follow His instruction and Plan, We will prevail because He loves us more deeply than any other and always has our best interest at heart.If you read carefully the above scripture, you will see that God delays punishment for sin as long as He can in order to give us as much opportunity to repent as He can before consequences get worse. Sin demands punishment, so Jesus feels pain every time we sin, but He feels deep Joy when we repent of our sins and receive His mercy and forgiveness. In fact, Jesus told us He is preparing our heavenly home for us” (John 14:2),Scripture are full of wonderful stories of God’s mercy and a few instances of those who knew God’s forgiveness who have learned to forgive. The story of Joseph in Genesis who’s brothers sold him into slavery but God protected Joseph and gave him opportunity to forgive his brothers and save his family from starvation and thirst.Jesus gave us a wonderful condensed version of how He lived and how He wants us to live in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). Forgiveness is not only what we need to seek but what we need to give to others. In fact, the only condition of forgiveness Christ gave was to forgive others their sins. He compared the magnitude of His forgiveness to us to the magnitude of forgiveness we convey to others in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-25).Our Bible is the most valuable book to study and live by because it written by many different prophets and God followers over 1600 years but inspired by God so is timeless and priceless because it is God’s love letter and instruction manual for each and everyone of us and is more accessible and available to us than any other.New Year is a wonderful time to make a fresh start and do-over. A wonderful time to renew or seek a fresh and new relationship with the Creator – Savior – Redeemer – Immanuel (God with us) – God Almighty eager to be in relationship with you and me. Eternal life in an eternal body in a beautiful eternal home among followers through history without sin and death and sickness and hurtful conduct. With a God who has our best interest at heart and will be faithful giving good council to help us through life crisis and trials and hardship to the best destination. A destination with Him and all our loved ones who trust in Him too. What is the cost to us? Only accepting His gift of forgiveness and yielding our will, which is flawed and dangerous to His Will which is sure and true.So, what will 2021 hold for us and coming years? Will we enjoy peace and prosperity or war and poverty? Good health or sickness?No matter if we walk in fellowship with Christ. Genesis 41 gives us the story of Joseph sold into Egyptian slavery with no hope of seeing his family again. Then he was falsely accused of raping his master’s wife and thrown into prison. But because he remained faithful to God and would not allow bitterness in his heart, God turned his suffering into opportunity to bless his family, including the brothers who sold him into slavery. The years of suffering made Joseph a mature follower who opened himself to receive God’s wisdom and council. He remained faithful in little ways, so God entrusted him with wisdom and authority to save his family and even his pagan captures, Egypt from starvation. Joseph and Daniel were both examples of enduring slavery from pagan captures but retained daily fellowship and devotion to GodSo, if 2021 brings further hardship, it is then we should draw closer to Christ seeking His hand in ours and His protection and encouragement and council and strength. But like Joseph and Daniel, remain faithful to Christ during trying times so our witness will be genuine and others will be drawn to His saving grace too. Christianity grew explosively in the first century when persecution of Christians was at it’s worst.Today Christians are among those suffering the worst persecution for their faith. Matthew 24 tells us in the last days before Christ’s return, satan and his followers will deceive many with lies and many will think good is evil and evil good. Wars and famine and natural disasters like fires and earthquakes and floods will increase in frequency and intensity. But the Gospel will reach the far corners of the world before the end comes and Christ will return to take His followers home.Will Christ come in 2021? We are not told but for sure His return is one year closer than it was last year, so we need to get ready and stay ready because our Savior is coming soon.1 Thessalonians 5 “ Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”As we begin a new year we can reflect on past year while seeing the new year as a blank sheet yet to be written. However, God already has lived 2021 so knows very well what is coming including times of obedience as well as times of rebellion and disobedience and sin we will be responsible for this coming year. Joseph knew exactly what was coming and how to manage it because of his relationship with God and foresight God gave him. The confidence Pharoah had in him was so great, he simply told his subject to do what he said. Since God has already lived 2021 ahead of us, let’s resolve to put our trust more fully in Him this year too. Resolutions are quickly forgotten and broken but promises may carry more weight with us. I have been reflecting on the word I will make my theme and focus this year. I have chosen the word “deeper”. Last year’s word for me was “gratitude”. Being grateful has made 2020 so much more enjoyable and helped me notice more God has done so want to continue that attitude in 2021. However, I do sense a need to draw deeper into my relationship with Him as well as seek how He wants to define “deeper” as I seek to be more like Him and in greater obedience to His will in 2021. I would encourage you to, likewise, pick a word that He may be guiding you to be a focus in your walk with Him in 2021. I think the benefit will be to help us to do more than just to react to events or challenges each day and actually make some goals to work towards as well as be more open to see God’s hand at work during year. That way, at year’s end, we will not wonder what was accomplished and become discouraged or frustrated. Likewise, if we are indeed living in last days before Christ returns, it will be vital we don’t waste remaining time so we, and those we care about, will be prepared when He does return. Since He knows exactly when that will happen, best to seek His insight and help so we will be prepared. He really does want us to be prepared when He returns – it is us that are dragging our feet, right? I know you are reading this a month later but still time to start.When we are driving along in our car at night, we have little concern because our headlights allow us to see far enough to be aware of road and any obstacles ahead of us knowing we are able to respond and stop before such dangers would be upon us. We can’t see what lies a mile down the road or even ½ mile but we can see and respond to what is 700-1000 ft head of us and that is sufficient. It is also very important to keep the car’s headlights clean so they illuminate a needed distance in front of the car to avoid obstacles and Such is also true of our lives. God give us just enough insight and awareness to respond to what we need to, but beyond that we can learn to trust Him because of what He has done and continues to do. Well, such confidence is easier to exercise some days and in some circumstances than in others. But truth that we are in His Hands in all times and circumstances is the confidence He wants us to know and depend on. Time and practice help us gain trust and confidence, but every time we face a new challenge, doubts and fears can again overwhelm us. But it is then when we choose to trust Him or not. AMEN.