The turning of the year always invites reflection. We look back with gratitude, forward with hope, and often inward with a desire for renewal. As a church family, the start of a new year gives us a gentle but important question to sit with: how well do we really know Jesus—and how might we grow closer to Him in the year ahead?

Many of us have favourite Christmas films that we return to year after year. For me, films like Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang and The Sound of Music are full of joy, adventure, and transformation. They remind us that life is often changed not through grand moments alone, but through relationships. People learning to trust one another, to listen, and to grow together.

Yet it is The King and I that offers a particularly striking image for the year ahead. In the film, Anna, the governess, sings the memorable song “Getting to Know You.” It is a light-hearted tune, but it carries a profound truth: relationships deepen through time spent together, through conversation, patience, and shared experience. Getting to know someone is not instant. It is intentional.

This resonates deeply with the words of Jesus in John 17:3
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Notice what Jesus does not say. Eternal life is not defined primarily by knowledge about God, nor by
religious activity alone, but by knowing Him personally, relationally, and continually. Faith is not meant to be static; it is a living relationship that grows richer as we walk with Jesus day by day.

As we begin this new year, perhaps our greatest spiritual goal is not to do more, but to know Him better. That might mean setting aside time to read the Gospels slowly, praying honestly rather than perfectly, or paying closer attention to Jesus’ words, actions, and character. It may involve listening more than speaking, or trusting Him in areas where we usually rely on ourselves.

Like Anna’s song, getting to know You is an ongoing journey. May this year be one where, together as a church, we discover afresh the joy, depth, and life that comes from truly knowing Jesus.