Carrying on in the Spirit of the Anniversary
There is no better way to understand the “spirit of anniversary”, than to turn to Scripture! One example that we can seek to learn from is the Psalmist David. David wrote Ps. 68 as a reflection on how God had led His people, Israel, for 40 years in the wilderness. As we too reflect on how God has led Bethany these past 40 years, may we cultivate the same spirit that David had – a spirit characterized by praise and strength.
1. A spirit of praise
a. Determining to praise God
“Sing to God, sing praises to His name…” (Ps. 68:4)
Having considered what God has done for His people, it is most fitting for us to praise God and rejoice in Him. Praising God is something that we all know we should do. However, sometimes we go through situations in life that hold us back from rejoicing. We may feel stressed out, tired, frustrated or disappointed by things that happen to us. When such feelings come, let us follow David’s example, and purpose in our hearts to praise God with joy!
b. Finding reasons to praise God
Having purposed in our hearts to praise God, we must also find reasons to praise. Determination alone will not create in us a spirit of praise. We must dwell on who God is, and what He has done, in order to generate a genuine response of praise to Him!
What can we learn from the psalmist David about finding reasons to praise God? David wrote:
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation.” (Ps. 68:19)
As David considered how God had led Israel, he saw that God had been faithful to His people. God had blessed Israel every day for 40 years! Whether it was God’s provision of food, water and clothes, or God’s leading Israel on their journey via a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, God was always there for Israel, throughout their 40 years in the wilderness.
God has also been with Bethany every single day for 40 years! Furthermore, he blesses each one of us individually every day too! His mercy and forgiveness is granted to us daily. His love for us never ceases, even when we stray from Him. God remains faithful to us, in spite of our inconsistencies. This is simply the kind of God that He is. May this thought humble us and cause us to praise God sincerely from our hearts!
2. A spirit of strength
a. Ascribing strength to God
“Ascribe strength to God…” (Ps. 68:34)
When we look at how God has led Bethany for the past 40 years, we cannot help but recognize that He has provided the strength that we have needed, each step of the way. He provides physical strength for us to face the demands of life and ministry. He provides emotional strength to those going through challenging circumstances, such as major illnesses and the loss of loved ones. He provides spiritual strength to enable us to overcome temptations, and live lives of discipline and faith.
When we assess our own lives, we often come face to face with our own weaknesses, as sinful human beings. This helps us to realize, that anything we may have achieved, has been entirely through God’s enabling strength. May we cultivate a spirit of strength, by ascribing all strength to God and God alone!
b. Praying for strength
“Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.” (Ps. 68:28)
As we look ahead to Bethany’s future, it is clear that we will continue to need God’s strength. We cannot forge ahead on our own. We must pray that God would strengthen our pastors, leaders, and all who are serving in various ministries, enabling each one to carry out the work that God has given them to do. We must also pray for God to strengthen us individually, to live lives of faith and obedience to Him! The spirit of strength is the spirit of depending on the Lord, for only He is able to give us all the strength that we need.
Conclusion
Bethany’s 40th anniversary may be over, but let us not see it as just another milestone in the church’s history! Let us catch the spirit of the anniversary, and take it with us as we begin Bethany’s 41st year of ministry, another chapter in the life of the church. May we pray for and seek to cultivate a spirit of praise and a spirit of strength, knowing that it is God alone who can kindle this spirit in us!