John ESENE

Continue from Pt. 3 of last week.

    God created us out of nothing; hence we should appreciate Him for our creation and be thankful to Him always. “I remember when I was nobody, when the journey was rough and tough! I remember when I was nobody; I never thought I will be somebody” says Saheed Osupa. No one has ever cared for you as much as God does: not even your parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, and others. The poor and the rich, the sinner and the righteous, the sick and the healthy: God cares for us all.

         There are over 7 billion people on earth and God knows each of us by our names. “Do not be afraid I will save you. I have called you by your name: you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1. God is conscious of our situations: good or bad.  He is our Father through the privilege our Lord Jesus gave us by dying for us.

    We have been in trouble and needy due to the present insecurity and economic hardships. But God has been sustaining us overtime.  Psalm 145:14-16 says, “The Lord helps those who are in trouble; He lifts those who have fallen. All living things look hopefully to you and you give them food when they need it. You give them enough and satisfy the needs of all.” So, thank God daily in all your situations!

     Thanking God with your lips is not enough. You should rather surrender your heart to Him because you are just a pilgrim here on earth: your real home is with God who made you out of nothing! The Prodigal son did not have any reservation when he decided to return to his father after squandering all his inheritance. And to his surprise, his father embraced him and organized a feast for this purpose. The song “I surrender all” is very meaningful in this regard.

“All to Jesus I surrender,

All to Him I freely give,

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

 

All to Jesus I surrender,

Humbly at His feet I bow;

Worldly pleasures all forsaken,

Take me Jesus, take me now.

     We who are Christians should emulate Jesus Christ who taught us how to surrender to His Father’s (Our Father’s) will in all our undertakings. God’s plan is the best for us all.  Each of us has our plans but God alone knows what future holds for us and only Him can give us the strength and wisdom to meet life challenges. When we humbly submit ourselves to God He will protect us against making decisions to please ourselves or other people. So, like the Apostles and Disciples let us place God first in all we say and do.

 

     Abba Gold of old school sang the song, “Knowing you, knowing me is the best I can do!” Dear Readers, do you really know much about God’s love for you? Have you created enabling environment for yourself to encounter Jesus Our Savior and appreciate His Goodness to you? To attend Church services and call yourself a Christian without an encounter with Jesus is not enough for you. When Zacchaeus climbed the sycomore  tree to see Jesus, his dream came true and was blessed beyoud his expectations: then, his life changed immediately. Luke 19:1-10. So, what are you waiting for?

       When certain events occur, they remind us of the shortness of life to enable us work for the thing that matters most: heavenly race. “There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord, to inquire at His temple.” Ps 27:4.

     Let us reflect on what God said in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Truly we all have sinned and should repent wholeheartedly for God to heal us!  

 

Our happiness and salvation is more important to Jesus than the troubles we cry about today. He is eagerly waiting for us to repent and be saved.  Our duty is to abide by Him that we may bear fruit. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” Jn. 15:4. In Isaiah 43:2 God said, “When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burnt; the hard trials that come will not hurt you” Is 43:2.  God does not lie!

    “The Lord is righteous in all He does, merciful in all His acts. He is near to those who call to Him with sincerity. He supplies the needs of those who honor Him; He hears their cries and save them. He protects everyone who loves Him. I will always praise the Lord;  let all His creatures praise His Holy Name forever.” Psalm 145: 17-21. Let us sing the song of M. Runkart and C. Winkworth in conclusion thus:

“Now thank we all Our God,

With heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things have done,

In whom His world rejoices;

Who from our mother’s arms

Hath blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love.

And still is ours today.”