New Year is Here

This has been a year that I had been waiting for a long time. It's my year. The Year of the Dragon. It is a year that I could withdraw my little savings on my government's retirement fund (Employee Retirement Fund). As I had only worked intermittently (in the past five years, I have only worked half the time and the rest of the time in writing books), there is little left but as Scripture says, "better little with righteousness than becoming rich through unlawful and corrupt means". It is also a year I can move into "retirement", as Malaysia's retirement age is 60, though as for me serving the Lord is a full-time job until one's last breath. It is a year that I may have to move to a different city or town. There is much uncertainty in the New Year just as in the previous year when I had nothing on the plate, waiting for my next appointment which never came until this current position opened in the second half of 2023. But God is good. He is good all the time. I preached a total 14 sermons in the last 9 weeks of 2023 in eight different venues, with the final sermon on my son's wedding which I titled, "Meeting the Beloved at the Well" based on Abraham' servant's encounter with Rebecca, Jacob with Rachel and Moses with the 7 daughters of a priest in Midian and Jesus' meeting a Samaritan woman at a Well. It was preached to mostly non-believers except for my 8 guests who were present. I am sure even they were blessed. My son's friends were blessed too as the bridesmaid in her speech mentioned my sermon and one of Cyrus' closest friends spoke with me twice. May the people who hear God's Word come to Jesus and drink the living waters that Jesus would give to everyone who believes in Him. 

Yesterday, I attended church nearby the Beach Resort where the wedding was held, some 10 kms away. My friends were surprised to see me but I felt their warm welcome and we took a photo together normally for people who are serving that day. We had a New Year's Eve's lunch and conversations were great until 11.30am that I had to return to the Hotel to check out. Today on New Year's Day I am back in my office preparing for my lessons on Exegesis and Hermeneutics of the Bible. It will be a busy Semester with three new courses which I had never taught before but I am all ready for it until I make my new move in the middle of the year.