THE “NEW NORMAL” IS NOT SO NEW

BY ELDER TONY LOW

If we were to ask someone to describe what the year is like, we should not be surprised by words/phrases such as work from home, zoom meetings, social distancing, unprecedented, uncharted, flattening the curve, swab test, PPE, PCR, etc.  Beyond the new lexicon of buzzwords inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 is a year where many so called ‘new normals’ are birthed, and a synchronous war cry to embrace them on a global scale.  And many did so for good reasons.

But the notion of ‘new normal’, however, is not so new after all.  Some 2000 years ago, there was a call to humanity to embrace a ‘new normal’ then – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17).  By any yardstick, this ‘old’ new normal is easily the gold standard, the mother of all new normals.  Receiving Christ as our Saviour and Lord is a life changing transformation that has eternal values and consequences.  Contrast this to today’s new normals which are essentially about changing practices and accepting inconveniences.  No doubt these are important and even necessary to successfully take on the challenges arising from the global pandemic, but how is it that the reception to these lesser new normals far exceed that of the ‘old’ new normal? 

My daughter, Ethel, was part-timing at an event in Sentosa recently.  Her duty was to ensure that safe entry was done and temperature taken.  Simple enough, I thought.  Wrong!  One evening over family dinner, Ethel recounted how a lady refused to comply when repeatedly told to do so.  Her reason was ‘I am pregnant’.  “What?!” was our immediate response in disbelief, and we burst into laughter.  We may laugh at such absurdity, but the sad truth is that many in our fallen world still do not see the need to embrace the ‘old’ new normal for reasons beyond comprehension.

We celebrated Christmas just a couple of days ago.  Our church called on all members to make a difference this Christmas by inviting non-believers to share in our celebration of God’s gift of His only Son. It was, and still is, a call to accept this ‘old’ new normal, which was given freely to all humanity, the ultimate vaccine for a broken world, separated from its Creator.   If we missed the opportunity this Christmas, let’s seize every opportunity in the coming year to share the Good News.  The Covid-19 pandemic only accentuates the urgency and offers a vivid reminder for all believers to rally our loved ones and friends to wholeheartedly repent and receive the ‘old’ new normal.  In this season of thanksgiving, let us also remember that we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)!

May you and your loved ones experience the Joy of Christmas and a fruitful abiding in the Vine for 2021. Text...