- Text:”……. therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways……” – Haggai 1:5
Regardless what you think about death, it will come to us all, sooner or later. The question is: Are you preparing for death? Please be informed that we are all closer to dying today than we were yesterday. It will therefore be logical to also consider: what about the “hereafter?”. What about life after this one is over? Is this all there is? A few relatively short years on this earth and that is it? Surely not, because after death comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27). We shall all give account of our stewardship before God (Romans 14:10-12; Revelations 22:11-13). Then, it shall be a time for separation and reward (Matthew 25:31-46). When the end comes, the question is: how will you be remembered? “The clock is running’ wrote an American historian and author, Alice Morse Earle, ‘make the most of today, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift and that is why it is called the present”. Every day that you are greeted ‘Good morning’ is a day closer to that day for mourning and every ‘Happy new year’ felicitation is a year closer to the end of your years. Please, consider your ways before it is too late.
Many years ago, a very successful man who invented the dynamite woke up to find his Obituary in all the newspapers. He decided to use that very rare opportunity to find out people’s comments about him. The headline he saw among others was startling, “Dynamite the king dies, and he was the merchant of death”. After seeing that headline he became downcast and thought to himself if that was all he meant to people and if that was how he was going to be remembered when death came calling eventually. The man never wanted to be remembered as “the merchant of death” hence he decided to rewrite the history of his life. Like the message of God through Prophet Haggai to Sennacherub and Joshua the high priest to consider their ways, the Dynamite man considered his ways; he redefined his values and decided to embark on peaceful missions henceforth. That ‘King of dynamite’ was Alfred Nobel who is globally remembered today, not as a merchant of death but for the great Nobel prizes being awarded. Quite unlike Alfred Nobel, many in the world today are agog with dissipation of energy on issues of life and things that won’t add up eventually when this world ends; and very assuredly, the world shall end with us one day (Matthew 24:38-39).
It is baffling that with the way death has been coming for great people around, some are still ignorant that no one, irrespective of age or anointing, can stop death whenever it decides to come (Ecclesiastes 8:8). Death is certainly no respecter of persons. It doesn’t matter your age, educational qualification or status in the society, when death comes, everything will come to an abrupt end. Empires have come and been dumped in history books. Powerful politicians with great oratorial powers have come and been forgotten. Flamboyant preachers of the Gospel have died and have not been raised. Political office holders that have embezzled public funds to the point of causing the nation great pains have expired without taking a dime with them. Death will come for you unexpectedly as it came for people who were watching a football match involving Nigeria and South Africa at the recent African Nations Cup in Cote d’ivoire or as it came for one of our national pride, Roosevelt Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of Access Bank holdings, with his wife, son and others in that unfortunate air crash. Your end too will come one day and it shall come unexpectedly. Haggai the Prophet is calling you, particularly our leaders at the home-front, spiritual positions and the three tiers of government in the states and nation, at this time of Lent, to “Consider your ways!” and I add this- before it is too late. It is important to let everyone, especially the political gladiators, know that everything with a beginning shall surely end somehow and sometime. It must also be remembered that everyone with a responsibility have an obligation of accountability and shall ultimately be rewarded for every overt and covert acts by God (Ecclesiastes 11:1; 12:13; Revelations 22:11-12). I recall with great pain in my heart what we were needlessly subjected to during the currency scarcity season in our country. That was the height of wickedness of man to man, all because of mischievous political calculations. May God forgive our leaders for the lives that were lost and hardship we experienced during that dreadful time.
Beloved, please note that you are a pilgrim here. Jim Reeves sang that, This is not your our home, we are just passing through….. Whenever your time is up, at a time unknown, you shall be called home. It will be apt to ask you: how do you think you will be remembered when that time comes? What will be the genuine testimonies of people about you in your community, your place of work, your family members and members of your church? Will you be missed or will they say chorus ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’? More importantly, will heaven be happy to have you back or will it be a case of a failed life? The word of God to you at this time of Lent is for you to reflect very deeply on how you have been living your life, to reconsider your ways, to come to Jesus Christ who came to deliver us from the pains of this world and regrets of life hereafter, to acknowledge that He is Lord and to ask Him to come to your life. You need to redefine your values like Alfred Nobel, repent of your past deeds, have a change of attitude, invest in the work of the kingdom, assist those that are less-privileged than you and be a person of love. As God lives, you shall testify here and not regret hereafter, in Jesus’ name.
Prayers: Oh Lord, help me and don’t allow me use the temporal pleasures of this world to destroy the bliss of the eternal home, in Jesus’ name.