“Another Year Of Grace!”

“Another Year Of Grace!”(Lk.13:6-9)[31/12/2024].
“Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?”
“Sir,” the man replied, “Leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.”‘”
Today is another 31st of December. Another last day of another year. We are thankful to God for bringing us to the end of 2024. We are equally hopeful that we are going to crossover and enter 2025.
Since from when I read “Days of Grace” by Arthur Ashley, I see the end of a year and the beginning of another one as days of grace.
Another year of life is not a bonus for good work; it is rather the manifestation of grace. It is the love of Christ who continues to intercede for us; asking God to give us another opportunity to repent of our sins and return to the LORD.
God is the man who has the fig tree. Each one of us is the fig tree. For some time now, God has visited us to see if we have borne fruits worthy of repentance, but he finds us still in our filthiness. He gets angry and wants to destroy us, but the Lord Jesus Christ pleads on our behalf. He pleads with the Father to give us another chance. He wants to work on us through the Holy Spirit to transform and renew us.
God, in his mercy, has heard the plea of his Son, that is why you and I have seen this day. Let us, therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance so as to merit God’s grace.
End of year prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for giving us another period of grace. Amen!
Have a blessed end of year, and may you live to enter the new year as a fig that the gardener has fertilised. Peace be with you! Happy New Year!
Rev Babila Fochang.