PETALS OF GOD’S LOVE

An intriguing opinion piece published in the Guardian newspapers of Nigeria…

God is one. God is love (1 John 4:8, John 15:13). Love can never thrive in an atmosphere of rancor – political, economic, religious etc. To acknowledge the love and goodness of God whenever and wherever they are found is the duty of any and every being loyal to the Creator God, who Himself is absolute goodness. God’s love, like the petals of a full blown flower, points in all directions – the epitome of God’s boundless love for His creation.

A recent happening at The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN)’s Friday Healing service is indeed food for thought for all and sundry. On this particular occasion, an elderly man who from every indication was not a Christian had his rubber water bottle slung over his shoulder as he stood on the prayer line waiting for the anointed servant of God and expecting to receive through him a touch from heaven in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Not long after the man of God, Prophet TB Joshua stood before him and then without warning or any obvious preparation, spontaneously took the rubber water bottle, opened it and copiously drank from it. All this to the amazement of all gathered. The water could have been from a brook! Why did he do it? Many people must have asked themselves.

For the spiritually enlightened, this was no popularity stunt by the anointed man of God who by all standards is world acclaimed. Was he trying to convert him to Christianity? Those who listen to the Holy Spirit inspired sermons of Prophet TB Joshua would have heard him say often that it is the Holy Spirit that converts.

The servants of God only point the way by showing Christ’s unending power of salvation, healing, deliverance, forgiveness, restoration and comfort – since “Jesus lives, He never said goodbye”. Certainly most people shown these qualities of Jesus would willingly recognise, respect, love and embrace Him.

Prophet TB Joshua’s action here was a spontaneous display of the selfless love of God that knows no bounds – ethnic, racial, social class, religious affiliation and the like. We all need to thank God for the life and ministry of Prophet TB Joshua. Honest men and woman of all nations and races would wholeheartedly declare that humanity has not had it so good since the apostolic times. We give God all the glory, adoration, honour, power, majesty and praise for this spectacular favour on mankind in our time.

Scoffers – many led astray by undue allegiance to man rather than God – should retrace their steps and acknowledge the goodness of God in the life and ministry of Prophet TB Joshua. Youths and others should shun any inducement or sponsorship to drop vile, mindless and blasphemous comments in the internet against the servant of the Most High God.

They must be mindful of the warning in Matthew 16:26 – “…for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul, what shall a man give in exchange of his soul”.

The frantic attempts to stop members of other organisations/ ministries from coming to SCOAN apparently have failed as eloquently depicted each Sunday and during the Friday healing service when literally the whole world turns to The SCOAN.

Many from the world over, who had wondered if anything good could ever come out of Nigeria, have through the ministry of Prophet TB Joshua changed their mind. They gladly troop to The Synagogue happily, displaying their flags and thanking God Almighty for making them part of the history of God’s tremendous move in our time.

It is not, however, a case of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ at all! It is rather the case of humbling ourselves before God to make Him open our eyes of faith to what He is doing in our midst today through Prophet TB Joshua.

We must relegate the hunger for material things completely to the background to join the ranks of spiritual achievers who are assured of eternal peace and comfort after our sojourn in a world of sin and sorrow.

It is never late to turn to God and acknowledge His love and goodness. We thank God for the life and ministry of Prophet TB Joshua and pray that He continues to sustain and increase him even in the face of underserved aggression.

Professor Clara Ikekonwu
Director, Institute of Nigerian Languages
University of Nigeria, Aba Campus, Abia State.

SOURCE: The Guardian – Vol. 27, No. 11,261