CNY Festivities

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/03/a-fresh-start-4

One of the advantages being a Christian of Chinese ethnicity is that soon after Christmas, we have the Lunar New Year festivities. So it’s a consecutive double celebration, one after another!

Chinese New Year (CNY) or what is called the Spring Festival in China is a time for families to come together for an annual reunion lunch or dinner. I guess there are other occasions when the family gets together but CNY is special because a concerted effort is made to make it special. In my own family, my dear wife will cook the seafood pot, among other delicious dishes, which usually contains, inter alia, abalone, big prawns, scallops, fish maw, oysters, sea cucumbers – basically, stuff we usually only eat once a year! I also look forward to the mandarin oranges, menglembu groundnuts and some beer, which we also get to buy once a year at bargain prices due to overwhelming demand! Besides meeting our loved ones and enjoying good food and giving out ang pow (red packets), it is also a time for the spring cleaning of our homes. The latter is a family activity where everyone chips in before the big day. CNY is a time to visit close friends and relatives although the MCO SOP restrictions still in place somewhat limit visitations to only relatives.

One fundamental element of CNY is to wish for a good year ahead and this year being the Year of the Tiger (which in Chinese means hardship), in a sense, makes the wish for a better year takes a more significant meaning.

But we know that in Christ we are a new creation and thus our destiny and path in life are not determined by the prevailing seasons of time. We can prevail and be victorious even in the Year of the Tiger, in these Covid-stricken times like the Israelites in times of drought. As children of God, God can and will guide us through these shambles of destruction in our nation, in particular, our political scene that in spite of the follies, trickery and greed of man, the will of God in our lives may and will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. God will guide us out of this thick and confusing maze as we put our hope and trust in Him.

In our CNY greetings, we wish our friends, colleagues and relatives a better year, that the Year of the Tiger be a better one for everyone. We wish that 22 will be a better year after going through two difficult years in 20 and 21.

Chances are however Covid-19 will be here to stay and for a long time to come. My prayer for all of us is hence that we will all be able to quickly adapt to the new normal as the Lord leads and guides us, and that, in my view, includes the way we run our churches and our church services and ministries. For example, perhaps, the hybrid model will be with us for the next 7 years and not just a few more months? Perhaps working from home will be a permanent feature in our work culture and life?

May God bless and keep us all safe in 2022! Xin Nien Kuai Le, everyone!