In recent years, Christians have become more vocal in matters around governance and this is expected as the fruits of poor governance over the years have greatly affected all today. With the widespread use of Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, everyone is expressing his or her views strongly.
Many leading Church leaders are not left out as it is common for Sunday services to now become places where the influence of the pulpit is used effectively to speak to the various issues that stem from poor governance.
With the 2019 elections a few months away, the volume has increased. Many men and women of the Christian faith are fully persuaded that they have something to say and are saying it with much vigour.
We have become leading proponents or opponents of President Buhari; we have joined in various propaganda to sell our position; we have become so entangled in the debates on how we can move Nigeria forward (for example, Christians, in many Church services last Sunday, were more concerned about the outcome of the Osun gubernatorial election than worshipping God and fellowshipping with the saints), etc.
There is a big problem. As sons and daughters of the kingdom of God, we haven’t sought diligently to ask our Lord Jesus Christ what He is saying about Nigeria. As a result, our reactions can’t be separated from that of people of the world. Therefore, we lose our witness for Him.
When I read 2 Corinthians 5:15 which says, “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.”, I get reminded that we Christians (followers of Christ, I couldn’t overcome the nudge to define who Christians are) live for Christ and not for ourselves.
We are not our own because we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Yes, we didn’t choose Him but He chose us and appointed us to go and bear lasting fruit (John 15:16). Jesus bought us with his life at a costly price, appointed us for His kingdom purpose and then, leads us by His Spirit (Romans 8:14).
So, what is the One who owns us saying to the ones He owns?
I learnt some years back that the act of asking questions is most critical for anybody. This is so because an answer is a response to a question and that means, answers are provided to those who ask. It also leads to the thought that the quality of our questions will determine the quality of our answers.
It wouldn’t be difficult to conclude that the reason we do not ask, “What is God is saying?” is because we have forgotten He owns us; we have forgotten what He appointed us to do; and have stopped being surrendered to and led by His Spirit.
Truth be told, we will continue to lose our peace (our health and even life), seek help in the wrong places and fail to stop the tide of Nigeria’s collapse when we don’t turn our focus back on Him to find out what He is saying. We are not in charge and we will never be.
A few things to note:
– God has a purpose for His kingdom and as servants of that kingdom; we must seek it diligently, submit to it and commit totally to serve it.
– In His purpose, He has a plan for Nigeria which includes us the people.
– He will only reveal His purpose to those who seek Him diligently (Heb 11:6).
– When God speaks, those who diligently seek Him hear and they are empowered by His Spirit to act on what He instructs. He gives power to those He sends on His tasks.
– There has to be clear difference in the approach of Nigerians who know and serve the King of Glory and those who don’t. The fruit of the Spirit must be visible as well as the gifts of the Father (Rom. 12:6-8), the Son (Eph. 4:11) and the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:8-10) being made manifest in and through us for the task He gives.
– We will build a developed Nigeria but it must be God’s way in order for it to fit into His kingdom purpose. There is nothing greater than His purpose.
– Our failure to show Christlikeness in Nigeria is a pointer to the fact that the Church of Jesus Christ in this nation desperately needs a revival.
Remember the words of Jesus in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
So dear Christian, what is God saying to you about our nation, Nigeria and about the state of His Church?