Dear Wesley family,
Blessed 2025!
As we welcome another year, I pray this new year finds you filled with hope, joy and the love of our Lord. Let’s start the new year by giving our thanks and praise to God. I am personally overflowing with gratitude for our vibrant church family — your love and support for the pastors and church staff is a constant source of encouragement. Thank you!
This year is particularly special as we celebrate our church’s 140th anniversary — a testament to God’s faithfulness and the enduring legacy of faith passed down through generations of Wesleyans. We’ll be celebrating our anniversary with special moments throughout the year, so keep an eye out for those!
This year, our theme of “Discipleship in Society” reminds us to be God’s hands and feet beyond the walls of our church. Imagine a community overflowing with compassion, justice, and hope. That’s the vision we’re called to embody wherever we are, wherever we may go.
How do we do this?
It starts with the right spiritual posture.
First, seek the Lord.
Isaiah 55:6 declares that we are to seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon Him while He is near.
The Hebrew word for “seek” has the idea of searching diligently, making effort to find, to search. Not once, but frequently. The picture from the word is a picture of one praying in the temple which reflects earnestness in seeking God.
To seek the Lord while He is near suggests an urgency of seizing opportunity because there may be times when He may not be found.
This does not mean that God has left us or is far away from us. But it can mean that we have left God.
It does mean we should be intentional in seeking God every day. Let’s commit to daily prayer, immersing ourselves in His Word, and when God prompts us through His Spirit, we respond in obedience and submission. Let us not be complacent about our walk with God. Let us not take His daily grace to us for granted. Seek the Lord while He may be found.
Next, satisfy yourself in His love.
We all long for spiritual satisfaction and sometimes we look for that in the wrong places.
No earthly and temporal thing can satisfy. Jesus says in John 4 that whoever drinks of the water He gives will never be thirsty again.
Let us drink and be satisfied with the living water that the Lord wants to give you.
Psalm 90:14 declares that we can find satisfaction in the Lord’s love every morning. Let us find that daily rest in His love.
As we are rested and satisfied in His love, that’s how we can love others.
As a church, we can only be truly missional in our love if we are first satisfied with the love that God grants. Let’s be filled with His love and compassion. Love as Christ first loved us (John 13:34).
Finally, surrender to His sovereign goodness. I always take comfort in Isaiah 55:8-9 which reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours. His Word that goes forth will never fail to accomplish His purposes.
As we go forth to shine His love, we must trust the Lord for the fruit of all we do. This means a kind word spoken, a loving deed done, an encouragement and safe space offered can be surrendered to God for Him to accomplish His sovereign and good purposes.
This is our hope. We have a God who takes what we have done and makes it beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Isn’t that wonderful?
There will be times in this new year when it will be challenging. Be strong and courageous for the Lord is with you. Because He is with us, His strength and grace will empower us to trust Him as we find your sweet surrender in His faithful goodness.
In closing, I am excited to see how God will move in and through us in the coming year. Jesus has called us to be a church that lives out our faith boldly and authentically.
Let’s be a church that not only speaks about faith but lives it out in every sphere of life. I believe that, together, we can make this a year of extraordinary growth and impact His kingdom.
May we as His people seek His face and grow stronger in love.
Satisfied and surrendered to His love, may we continue to glorify God through our actions and shine His light in the world.
Happy New Year, dear church family!
Serving with you,
Pastor Ray
PRAY WITH ME:
Dear Heavenly Father,
As we step into this new year and celebrate 140 years of your faithfulness, we open our hearts to you. We lift every family in our church, asking for your guidance, protection and blessing upon them. Pour out your Spirit upon us, that we may grow deeper in our faith and draw closer to you. Empower us to be your hands and feet, reflecting your light in our families, community and beyond.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read also: Spreading Cheer: Wesley’s Christmas Carnival at Jalan Berseh; Spreading Christmas Cheer at Orchard Road: Celebrate Christmas In Singapore
