PASTOR'S LETTER
Dear congregation beloved by God,
First and foremost we wish you a happy New Year 2020. I would like to
welcome members of the GMI congregation as well as all new visitors to
our church website. Through the capable work of our webmasters, the GMI
website has been redesigned and given a fresh new appearance. We hope
that it may enable us to further be a blessing to all those who visit
us online.
Psalm 127:1-2 says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor
in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays
awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to
eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep."
Many people think that if they work hard enough to build something, be
it a household, business, etc., everything will work out as it should.
But cities or places that were previously considered safe may suddenly
experience total devastation, be it in physical or moral form. There are
also many people who work day and night to fulfill a temporary purpose
in their lives, yet fail to gain full satisfaction from the fruits of
their hard labor. Many of them end up in despair. As the psalmist teaches
us, everything that Man does in the absence of God eventually ends in
vain. With each passing day, more and more people grow increasingly fearful
of the future in a world that is without hope. Especially in the years
to come, "know [...] that in the last days perilous times will come"
(II Timothy 3: 1) and that events will transpire that will unsettle and
frighten men. No one knows for certain what will happen in the years ahead
except for the Father in Heaven.
But there is good news for everyone whom God loves. As the psalmist says,
"For so He gives His beloved sleep." Let us therefore affirm
that we are among those whom God loves as we journey through this increasingly
difficult year. Because if we know that we are loved by God, then what
else in life do we have to be afraid of or worry about? For those He loves,
there is always the assurance of being provided for not only in this life
but also in the eternal life to come. The most important question now
is how you and I can know if we are among those loved by God. For not
everyone who calls on "God, God!" will enter the Kingdom of
Heaven, but those who are sanctified by the truth of His Word (John 17:17)
- in other words, those who obey and carry out the spoken will of the
Father in Heaven. His Word also promises that all things work together
for good to those who truly love Him and are called according to His purpose
(Romans 8:28). For this reason, those whom God loves will always be able
to sing praises to God no matter what happens, saying, "You crown
the year with Your goodness" (Psalm 65:12).
My prayer and hope is that you will be able to enjoy the goodness of God
in 2020, because God blesses those He loves!
Your Pastor in Christ,
Silwanus Obadja M.Th.