Keep Hope Alive
The outcome of the 2019 General Elections may have left many of us dismayed, heartbroken and wondering what will come in the next four years. So many Christians seem to have retired hope. This shouldn’t be so.
If you are one of the many who has thrown in the towel and even thrown out the bathing water with the baby (lol), I say to you, HOPE AGAINST HOPE and keep HOPE ALIVE.
Some of us have blamed our past and present leaders for our extant predicament. Whatever the case may be, playing the blame game is not a solution. Despite all the negativity, our all merciful God who gave his Son for us on the cross to die for us all, including the people we call “bad, corrupt and underserving”, has redeemed us and called us His own.
The Bible, in Genesis 18, tells the story of two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah that were about to be destroyed but for the intervention of one man, Abraham, who was God’s friend and negotiated with God that he spares the land if he could find 10 godly people. (Gen 18:32). Unfortunately, both cities were destroyed but here’s my point, I make bold to say that by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through his blood, we have been made righteous and godly thus there are more than 10 godly people in this country that can intercede on her behalf in prayers.
Contrary to public opinion, prayer is not a call to passivity, prayer is action-packed. In prayers for our beloved nation, we partner with Divinity to legislate God’s Will here on earth as it is in heaven. In prayers, we communicate with our Father and He tells us His heart desires, plans and purpose for our land and sends us out as emissaries to carry them out here on earth.
The place of God in Nation building cannot be over emphasised (#arguewithyourhistory). It is us, God’s children who will “download from upstairs” all the files needed to make our earth resemble what is upstairs. I will name just two men who with the help of the Holy Spirit transcended beyond their times and gained insight into the mind of Christ and were able to make ground-breaking innovations and impact in their nation and the world at large.
The first on my mentions is Robert Gilmour LeTourneau (Nov 30,1888-Jun 1,1969) born in Richford, Vermont, and was a prolific inventor of earthmoving machinery. His factories supplied LeTourneau machines which accounted for about 70% of the machines and equipment used by the Allied forces during World War II. Over the course of his life, he secured nearly 300 patents relating to earthmoving equipment, manufacturing processes and machine tools. He later established a school which till date educates those affected by the world war II amongst other things.
“Everything changed for him one night after attending a week of revival meetings. Feeling that God had a calling on his life, he knelt in prayer and asked God if he was being called to be a preacher or missionary. Still unsure as to his purpose and destiny, during the prayer meeting, God through his Pastor spoke these inspiring words: “God needs businessmen as well as preachers and missionaries.” Of these life-changing words, LeTourneau would later write: “Those were the words that have guided my life ever since… I have discovered that many men have the same mistaken idea I had of what it means to serve the Lord…I didn’t realise that a layman could serve the Lord as well as a preacher.”
The second person is Dr George Washington Carver (Jan 1864 — Jan 5, 1943). Dr George was a prominent African-American scientist and inventor whom through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit revolutionised the agricultural industry by discovering 300 uses for peanut. His discoveries also included over 118 uses for the sweet potato as well as for the soybean. Despite his history of being born into slavery, he went on to become a botanist and one of the most prominent scientists and invented many more uses for other crops.
Excerpt From: Bill Winston. “Faith and The Marketplace”. Apple Books.
I pray that the examples above give us a glimpse on what is attainable in partnership with God ‘for with God all things are possible’. He is our source and sauce, we are not inferior or disadvantaged people, and even if it seems we are, all things will work and are working together for our good. Let us strive to change the negative narrative in our little corners. What are you doing for your country? In the words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (35th American President) “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.
Nation building is a call to servanthood and sacrifice. Challenges will be faced, as we are building some will try to pull it down, I mean peep at ‘Tobiah and Sanballat’ as in the case of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 4). The important thing is against all odds Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, help came and God even used a king who did not know him.
Nigeria needs just ONE PERSON who is ready to PARTNER with DIVINITY to make “THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH/NIGERIA AS IT IS IN HEAVEN”.
Are you going to be that person?
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by Duza Faith Gaza (Duza Faith), Faith is a member of The Tribe Abuja and serves as its Finance Coordinator. She is a member and one of the leaders of YWAP Abuja. She is also a legal practitioner and a politics and governance enthusiast.
