Another 366-day journey started for us in this part of the world on Monday, January 1. Yes, 366 days because 2024 is a leap year. That should be a piece of good news for folks born on February 29. It means they can celebrate their birthday on the exact day they were born this year unlike in most years that have 365 days. That is just by the way.
For those who are spiritually inclined, starting the New Year in their worship centres is a norm. For many though, it has become more of a ritual devoid of conviction. They have been doing so since they were young. This is more so especially for those with strict religious parents or guardians who will never leave their children or wards behind while going for service. The situation has produced many people who only attend such services to fulfil all righteousness. Those are the ones who doze off during the service or are busy fondling their phones while the service is ongoing.
But some genuinely believe that the last few hours of the outgoing year and the first few minutes of the New Year should be spent talking to God to set the tone for what happens during the year. They also believe that enough time should be devoted to singing and dancing to appreciate God for sparing their lives throughout the outgoing year despite all odds.
Those who stock enough fireworks and knockouts among others to “attack” worshippers once it is midnight are also not usually in short supply. You won’t know their mission until when it is time.
The police commands of many states reproduce press statements every year banning the use of fireworks. They lace such statements with threats of arrest and prosecution. But they largely remain what they are: mere threats.
The use of fireworks is not limited to the young folks. The young at heart also join the fray. They compete from one street to the other.
I remember a year in my local church in Lagos when we had to change the rug in the central aisle that was destroyed by neighbourhood youths who decided to throw fireworks into the church when they sensed that the service was not ending on time.
Truth be told, the service was deliberately extended to ensure that the youth exhaust the loads of fireworks with them before worshippers would be released, to avoid casualties. I guess they sensed the reason behind the delay in ending the service and they decided to fire “warning shots” into the church. You can only imagine the kind of stampede that followed immediately after that “missile” landed right in the centre of the church with its accompanying noise.
As usual, at the beginning of the year like this, people tend to come up with personal agenda for the year. They have long lists of what they want to achieve during the year and attach a timeline to them.
Some come in the form of what has become to be known as New Year resolutions. Individuals come up with bad behaviours they want to drop in the New Year and good ones they want to embrace. Even corporate organisations come up with goals and targets for the year.
In pursuing these goals, in most cases, there are times when it appears that there are fewer than 24 hours in some of the days with the rate at which minutes turn into hours, hours to days and days to weeks.
One major feature of this period is the craze for themes or slogans. The slogans, mostly from worship centres, I guess are usually carefully crafted to raise hope among the faithful.
Such slogans do not come in short supply. Social media is currently filled with such slogans which are usually printed on stickers and other materials for members. This is another very reliable source of income for the sponsors.
The list of themes and slogans is long: “2024, my year of exemptions and lifting,” “My year of greater and divine achievements,” “My year of full restoration,” “My year of greater exploits,” “My year of divine settlement,” “My year of goodness and mercy,” “My year of riches and honour,” “My year of abundance grace,” and “My year of bountiful harvest” among others.
All these themes and slogans are carefully packaged with relevant biblical references to back them up. Some faithful will be required to recite them every day of the year during their prayers either at home or in their worship centres.
As beautiful as these themes or slogans are, it is important to note that he that does not work shall not eat. This is biblical too but it doesn’t get the kind of emphasis that these slogans get. The Bible passage, II Thessalonians 3:10, which is set in the context of II Thessalonians 3:6-15, warns faithful against idleness and laziness. It is meant to warn those who refuse to work.
Talking of those who refuse to work, religious leaders can also help in the New Year to guide against this. They should make a deliberate effort to stress this in their sermons. They should also stop or reduce the rate at which they fix spiritual programmes during working hours.
The themes and slogans will not work in isolation. Faith is good. Prayer is fine but it must be accompanied by work.
My candid advice is therefore that we should all roll up our sleeves early enough and start the real work required of us.
