30 May, 2022

Post By : csiseafordadmin

Dearly beloved in Christ,

New Year fills everyone with new hope and excitement of entering and exploring the year to come. Every New Year is pregnant with the expectation of breaking the monotony of life and bringing newness! Though we really do not know what the New Year holds for us, in utter faith on the One who holds the key for the future, we put ourselves in God’s hands and wait patiently for God’s guidance and leading! Everyone hopes that a new alternative world is possible in every New Year. We all quietly wait to hear the breathing of the new! We all are called to wait for the New Year to unfold.

Waiting is a difficult proposition. Waiting is a test to check our patience. Waiting for our turn in a queue, waiting to get the Covid-19 test results, or waiting to meet someone important, is always either exciting or boring or even tiring. Waiting however, is the very basic tenant of life, it is the dynamic of life. Even in the age of instant food, instant solutions, mouse click applications, we need to wait.

Waiting is the greatest virtue that we find in and experience with God. And waiting is the greatest virtue that God wants us to learn.

“The Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18)

“It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:26).

Waiting for the Lord is a Blessing. Our God is a Lord who waits and shows long patience. Waiting, enduring and long patience are the expressions of God’s all-encompassing Love. When we wait, by endure and show long patience, imitate God. We express and experience God’s love. Therefore, waiting is a blessing. We wait to understand and discern God’s will and ways for us. We look forward patiently for God to show us the path to walk and give us the courage and grace to walk steadfastly on His discerned way. When we wait patiently for the guidance of God then we will be witnesses of God through God’s designed plans. Waiting to discern what God desires from us, what God wants us to be, is a blessing, as we strive to hear God’s rhythm and be part of God’s harmony. Therefore, in patient waiting we experience God’s blessings and become a witness of God.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who completed their term as BOT members, auditors, and conveners. Their tireless work and commitment contributed to the physical and spiritual growth of our church. Also, I would like to congratulate the newly elected BOT members, auditors, and conveners to serve God. All these opportunities are not only a possession but also it is a God’s gift and mission to serve Him.

It was painful and unfortunate to shut down the in-person Christmas and New Year church services. As family we want to thank all the church members and BOT members for the prayers and immense support during our COVID hardships. I wish and pray that, the CSI Malayalam Congregation of Greater New York, Seaford be a blessing and witnesses of God in the New Year 2022.

In His Service Yours

Shalu Achen