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Special children of Cherry Blossoms School, Kohima performing during the service.[/caption]
Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Dec. 12 (EMN): Chief Minister TR Zeliang on Tuesday said the Naga people have been yearning for permanent peace for so long and with Christmas being a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ who lived a life of peace, he felt this was the season when all can pray together for peace and harmony.
“Let us pray for all the leaders serving at all levels so that the mercy of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ humble their hearts and bestow wisdom, courage and humility. Let us also pray for peace and reconciliation amongst different sections of our Naga people,” Zeliang said while conveying Christmas greetings at the legislators’ pre-christmas service on Dec. 12 evening at the state banquet hall in Kohima.
“I believe that the message of Christmas has the power to transform and solve the problems facing the world and humanity. This Christmas, let us all put in our best efforts to renew relationships not only with those who are near and dear to us but with every fellow human beings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” the chief minister stated.
Dr. Atsi Dolie, executive director of Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC), who was the main speaker on the occasion, delivered a strong message through a quote of the renowned American evangelist Billy Graham that Christmas signifies the link that binds a lost world to a loving God and that Christmas means God is interested in the affairs of the people.
He talked about the need for the people to ask themselves if they were capable of managing their affairs. “History has proven too well that if not for the hand of the loving God, controlling the affairs of man, then things can go terribly wrong. People who always see the problems and chaos in the world tend to disprove the existence of our loving God but the fact that we are here today despite our many failures and shortcomings is a testimony that God has not given up on us. That He is interested in us,” Dolie said.
Dolie also talked about the conviction of God’s grace that despite His anger on the sinful ways of man, He promises to heal (forgive), lead (providential governance) and restore comfort (shalom).
“The inability to save ourselves, coupled with our lost-ness in meaninglessness, necessitated Jesus, the son of God to come and dwell with us and help us understand our sins and thereby lead us to God. Therefore, Jesus is relevant and will always be relevant for as long as there are sinful people here on earth,” the speaker asserted, adding, “God is interested in the affairs of man, that was why he planted a way to restore the broken relationships.”
Stating that prophesies concerning the birth of Jesus were fulfilled exactly as prophesied, he maintained while the fulfilment should excite people, it should also frighten them because there are prophesies concerning judgment which will also take place as written.
Meanwhile, expressing concern that there was a kind of reasoning in the Naga society today that throws responsibilities to others except oneself, he cited the criticism that the NBCC received when it launched its ‘clean election’ campaign earlier this year.
“My prayer is that, let us humbly submit ourselves before God, who is high and mighty but also who is with the contrite and lowly, that we can straighten our standing before him and make this season a meaningful one personally. If we all do that then there will be a joyful Christmas despite the seemingly bad year for us,” Dolie stated.
He concluded by saying, “Christmas is all about God’s gift of restoration and peace. Christmas is an old story which will never grow old because it will always be relevant for as long as there is longing for restoration and peace.”
Chief secretary Pankaj Kumar, in his message, said that the state has had its share of ‘ups and downs’ in 2017 starting from the ULB issue, political turbulence to natural calamities, while also being able to achieve milestones in different fields.
Acknowledging that Christmas is the time for spiritual communion with the Almighty, he hoped that the strength derived from this spiritual experience hold the people in good stead in negotiating the challenges, making progress and achieving new milestone in the year ahead.
During the programme, children with special needs from Cherry Blossoms School Kohima and the Angelic Choir presented songs. The programme was chaired by the state chaplain, Rev. Kuzeirang Thou.