At the end of August this year, God blessed our family with a third grandson. Once again, I got to experience the joy of being a grandfather, including the busyness and every little detail of a baby growing up. His name is Ezra, meaning “helper.” The biblical Ezra, in his time, made a firm commitment to study the Scriptures and led God’s people back to the temple to worship the Lord. This name also reminds us that God is always our helper. Indeed, we often face the unknown with uncertainty, anxiety, and worry. Raising children nowadays is no longer an easy task for young parents, as they are bombarded with conflicting opinions from online sources, shared experiences, cultural differences, and countless baby products. As I was preparing to welcome Christmas, writing this reflection led me to think about the birth of our Lord Jesus in a manger. Was the environment clean? Was it warm enough? Did Mary have enough milk? Who prepared her nourishing postpartum meals? Yet, our Lord Jesus quietly lay in the manger, and the place was filled with God’s glory as angels sang praises to Him.

As I reflect on the contrast of these situations, I deeply realize how humble our Lord was, condescending to be born as a vulnerable child rather than as a mighty king. He grew slowly into adulthood to complete redemption for us at the age of thirty-three. During this time, He endured and faced many hardships: the injustice of the Roman government, the loss of His earthly father, and the need to work as a carpenter to support His family. He truly experienced the weakness of human nature, the chaos of political society, and the helplessness of reality. Yet, through prayer and reliance on the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator, He demonstrated obedience and accomplished the perfect and glorious salvation on the cross.

As we approach the new year of 2025, what do you plan to ask God for? How will you entrust your anxieties about the unknown? Are you confident that God’s faithfulness is based on His omniscience and the certainty of His promises? Let us encourage and pray for one another, trusting in God’s complete grace and sovereignty, so that we can transcend our desire to control the future and receive true freedom from Him. God is the Good Shepherd. In the New Year, He will lead us to lie down in green pastures, guide us beside still waters, protect and comfort us, and lead us on paths of righteousness.