Last January, there were so many hopes, dreams and plans for 2020. This year, it has been said that the most useless purchase for 2021 is a planning calendar. “Rather than hopes and resolutions for the coming year, I simply have a list of unanswered questions,” someone recently said to us.

Perhaps many of us feel that way—hesitant and uncertain about what 2021 will bring, with more questions than dreams as the year begins.

There is, however, one question—and one answer—that matters, that remains unchanging through time. The prophet Micah lived in a time of uncertainty, when people had many questions. He knew only one question mattered. And the answer was simple, yet profound.

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

This was the question and answer put before the nation that God had raised up for his mission to redeem the world. And this question and answer are unchanged for God’s people today. Living a life focused on Jesus and his mission is possible even in a world with so many distractions, including our unanswered questions. It is possible, as we live out the answer to the one question that matters: act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

In his book, Christ at the Door, Commissioner Phil Needham outlines that living for mission as God’s people requires conditioning. He outlines that we condition ourselves for missional living through solitude and prayer. These past months of lockdown and self-isolation have provided opportunities to develop new disciplines. Conditioning ourselves to live for mission also includes choosing to travel lightly, keeping it simple and willingly accepting sacrifices, Commissioner Needham continues. Finally, he encourages us to put the teachings of Jesus into practice in our daily lives, including the practice of being at peace.

As we step into a new year, we acknowledge that there are many unanswered questions. Let’s focus, however, on the one question that matters and live out the answer God has given us to that question. Let’s continue to condition ourselves for lives of mission-focus, committed to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly into this new year with our God.

Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd

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