Text: “…..Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die….” – 2 Kings 20:1
By Venerable Henry O. Adelegan
Death is an unavoidable contract that everyone had entered into because dust shall return to dust (Hebrew 9:27). Therefore, either claimed or rejected (as many ignorantly do), everyone has an appointment with death, mindless of age, state of health, wealth, political power, anointing or spiritual giftings, except those that are alive at His second coming (Psalms 89:48; cf 1Thess. 4:16-17). Everything that had a beginning must surely come to an end – a new cloth will become a rag, an agile young boy will depreciate to a weak old man, a new vehicle will end in a mechanic’s yard, a new house will become outdated, marriage will become history, certificates shall be useless and the people in power shall be out of office one day (Ecclesiastes 12:3-7; Job 7:1).
After God had assisted the less powerful King Hezekiah of Judah to defeat the more powerful and boastful King Sennacherib of Assyria (2Kings 19:8-13, 35), He sent the highly revered Prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah on his sick bed that he should set his house in order because he would surely die. That message made the king distraught hence he turned away from the prophet and cried to God for elongation of his life. God heard his cries and added an additional fifteen years to him (2 Kings 20:2-6). Eventually, (in 2 Kings 20:21), the Bible recorded it that, King Hezekiah died. This is to remind us that there is a time and season for everything, among which is a time to be born and a time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:1,2) – you shall return to dust!
Like King Hezekiah, virtually every person, chiefly the economically and politically privileged in our land, are willing to do everything to stay here, and in power, till eternity and continue to enjoy the bliss and comfort of life. It is consequent on this that people with the financial wherewithal expend lots money on first class medicare and some are enslaved to spiritual marabouts, all in their bid to escape death. Despite all their futile efforts geared at running away from death, when the time of death’s visitation comes, it rushes in like a fiery wind and visits its victims mindless of palpable fear, struggles, humongous wealth, privileged position in the society, spiritual standing and the retinue of prayer warriors at their becks and calls (2 Peter 3:10).
One of the messages of today’s Ash Wednesday, which signposts the flag off of a 40 day fasting season, is to remind everyone about the temporality of this world and that “…… dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19) and the expediency of setting our houses in order. This is suffice to say that we shall all return to the starting point of our lives one day- dust! On Ash Wednesday, the palm-fronds from the previous Palm Sunday are burnt and administered on the forehead of every believer as a reminder that nothing lasts forever.
At such a time in our country where there is increasing wide polarity between the rich and the poor, where the dividends of democracy are not evenly distributed, where promises made by people placed in positions of authority are shamefacedly broken, where our words are no longer our bonds, a season of political desperations to assume political office in our country, a time when the world has departed from the waiting room of patience and are now of microwave orientation; a time when we have abandoned the path of diligence at places of assignment and pitched camps with whatever course that will bring in money, power and recognition which have made many to relocate from the pavilion of discipline to the citadel of shameless behavior. We are very unfortunately in a dire time within our space of pervasive wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, religion without sacrifice and politics without principle.
The Almighty God is calling on all political gladiators to remembrance on this auspicious day even as we prepare for the coming elections that death will come for us one day and that we shall then give account of our stewardship (Haggai 1:5). This presupposes the fact that no matter how long you occupy any position or live in this world, one day will come when you shall give account of the stewardship of your time, talents, money, position and work before the Almighty God (Romans 14:10). It is possible to be ‘smart’ and escape the judgment of the land, pervert justice and buy the right of other people from the Tribunal to the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, but when all ends here and you get ‘there’, there is no retinue of learned silks that can defend you before the Almighty God (Job 9:3). God will give everyone according to his/her works (Rev. 22:12). If you fire arrow to the sky and cover your body with mortar, the king of this world might turn a blind eye or not even see you, but you can be assured that the King who sits in heaven and has the earth as his footstool sees (Isaiah 66:1) – dust you are!
It is therefore instructive to note that nothing will last forever because man shall return to his creator – “dust thou art and to dust thou shall return” (selah!). The only thing that will last till eternity is who you belong to (Christ or self), your good works and how you have used your means to impact positively on the society (Matthew 25:30). This season of fasting is a time for introspection, soberness, re-examination, repentance and change. It is a time for the political cum religious class and leaders to return to God in repentance for their overt and covert acts as well as their schemes and actions; it is a season for everyone to eat the humble pie, close ranks, ask God for mercy and change our ways to the path of righteousness so that God does not remove our candlesticks abruptly and take it off in the middle of our ages (Rev. 2:5).
As you humble yourselves at such a time dear beloved in Christ, as you take your gaze away from the temporality of this world, as you engage more in selfless services to God and humanity, as you remain more resolute on love for one another, as you are more dedicated to charity works, as you continue to live a life of holiness and maintain peace towards all, please be assured that the Almighty God shall continue to bless you and when your time is up here, you shall be acceptable before Him and welcomed with pomp and pageantry to receive your crown of glory, in Jesus’ name
Prayer: Oh Lord, give me grace to live a life that is pleasing to you so that when I see you at last, I shall be accepted by you as a child that has lived well in Jesus’ name.
