As the calendar turns to a new year, Christmas trees come down, and red lanterns take their place. The familiar carols of holiday warmth and joy in shopping malls are swiftly replaced by upbeat tunes proclaiming prosperity and blessedness. Malaysian Chinese families start to clean our homes, bake traditional cookies, and shop for the best ingredients to prepare a memorable reunion dinner. Amidst the giving of angpaos (red envelopes) and the tossing of yeesang (prosperity toss), we share hopes for a peaceful, healthy, and blessed year ahead.
In Malaysian culture, the pursuit of blessedness runs deep. There is a common desire not only for material prosperity but for overall well-being in all aspects of life. Blessedness is believed to come when key aspects of life align: when family is in good health, when there is enough money to meet needs, when plans unfold smoothly, and life "flows" harmoniously. Traditionally, this sense of balance and well-being is also seen as a reflection of divine favour, a sign that one's efforts are blessed and one's future is secure.
Without exception we all long for happiness... They may all search for it in different ways, but all try their hardest to reach the same goal, that is, joy. - St. Augustine
In the book of Genesis, we find humanity in a state of true blessedness in the Garden of Eden. Everything God created was "good" and humans lived in perfect relationship with Him. However, in Genesis 3, this blessedness was lost. Sin fractured the relationship between humanity and God, and with it, the peace and harmony that once defined creation. The family, too, was broken, as sin entered the world and disrupted the original design of human relationships.
Yet, in the midst of this tragedy, God made a promise to restore what was lost. In Genesis 12, He pledges to bring salvation to the world through one family, beginning with Abraham. Several chapters later, God reaffirms His word that Jacob would be the one through whom this blessedness would come. But Jacob doesn't follow the formula for blessedness that Chinese people might expect. His family was riddled with favouritism and strife while his career was marked by struggle and exploitative labor. However, despite his brokenness and failures, God’s promise of blessedness remained with Jacob because God works through imperfect people to fulfil His redemptive plan.
The blessing through the Spirit that is ours through Christ is the only remedy against idolatry.- Tim Keller
The good news of the gospel is that we have been given a blessedness that doesn’t depend on achieving the ideals of health, wealth, or harmony that our culture so highly values. God sent Jesus, His true firstborn, to die on the cross so that we might receive His ultimate blessing. Jesus took on our curse to free us from the endless striving to secure approval or attain a life that "flows" perfectly, for we are clothed in His righteousness.
In this Chinese New Year season, as you clean your home, share reunion meals, and exchange angpaos, consider the longing behind these traditions and let them point you to an even greater reality: the blessedness that comes from being reconciled to God through Christ. Tell your friends and family of the blessedness that no amount of effort or striving can secure, for it is freely given to those who trust in Him.
