As we enter the year 2024 and the new Chinese lunar year, we are reminded of the importance of time, and redeeming the time. God has created time, we must live it to the full in Christ, redeeming the time, Or it would be tantamount to waste and wastage! God gives us time and opportunity! But beware of the enemy which lay snare upon us with deception and lies. With its wicked scheme, the enemy intends to smite us by taking advantage of our lack of knowledge of God. All these are stealing our time. It hinder us from doing God’s will, but lure us to squander our life worshiping mammon, seeking fame and fortune, pursuing comfort and pleasure, living in selfishness, wandering in the wilderness, marching on the same spot, without any advancement. He that who sets his heart for these things shall not feast on the abundance of the Lord. But all these weaken our capabilities of receiving the blessings that God bestowed on us in the creation of life. Therefore, we must realize that the enemy has done many things in our lives to keep us ignorant of the things of God.
In the Holy Bible, Queen Esther, after heeding her Mordecai ‘s advice, " And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”, Finally realized why she was able to become a queen, and that God wanted to use her position as a queen to save Judah from the danger of being annihilated. Esther obeyed God's will and took the appropriate action, asking all the people to join her and the courtesans in fasting and praying for three days without food or drink, and finally the king realized Haman's plan of genocide of the Jews. The people of God won the victory through prayer!
Esther 4：13-14 "When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, He sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Truly we are precious in the eyes of the Lord. I pray every one of you, brothers and sisters, that as you enter the new year, you will receive vision from God, be capable of discerning the importance of your identity in Christ, your identity in the family, your identity in the workplace, and your identity on school campus, and be able to discern and know time and matters, have the godly gumption to make timely decisions. May all of us enjoy glorious victory in Christ greatly through prayer, and receive the blessings of the time. Amen!