We Are Witnesses And Not Owners Of God

By Very Revd Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola

Keep alert, stand firm in faith, be courageous and strong (1 Corinthians 16:13)

The modern world is struggling between the true Sovereign God and the false gods, the gods of the dominating classes and the god of aristocracies and the god of addictions. Even in all these, God remains a mystery and we cannot know him completely and perfectly; but the little we do know through revelation has help to change us to love Him, appreciate others and humanity as we bear Christian witness in our rapidly changing world. God is God and He remains Supreme and Sovereign in all things. His wisdom can never me measured. Today there are many holders of established theologies, established ideologies and theories and false philosophies who consider themselves as holders, owners and proprietors of God because they are the owners of the right doctrine about God. We must realize that we are mere stewards and witnesses and not owners of God. Our mission as Christians is one of witness, of seeking in our world where the presence of God is. Our mission is not to show to others the God that is our property but to show the God acting in our world, changing and transforming human society.
Apparently in the eyes of the modern society, God is weak as compared with the powers of civilization, globalization and military and financial world. If we consider the economic, political and military world of the modern society, God seems to be absent in our banks, factories and multi-national enterprises. Westernization and modernity have the impression that God is dead. The mission of Christianity then is the announcing and demonstrating of the reality of God’s presence and action in our world. Christians are challenged not just to be witnesses of their own ideas, doctrines and of Christian ideologies, but deeply witnesses of the action of God among the poor and of God’s reality in our world today. We should be witnesses of the true Supreme God and of His action in our world. Some people today erroneously feel that they are owners of God and have monopoly of Him; some feel they owners of the Church and have monopoly of salvation; some feel they are owners of the world and can manipulate, teleguide and remote control everything; and some feel they are owners of Nigeria and can determine the destiny of the nation. Yes, we may be in charge, but the Supreme God is in control and has the final say.
However tough and rough life might be, it is a precious gift from God, and service to God and humanity is the very essence of life. We have a challenge. The challenge is fundamental, the issue of planning, managing and effectively securing the lives of our people and nation. Division, discrimination, racism is a growing across the globe and hatred is triumphing over humanity. We have lost our humanity and human beings are becoming human beast. How can we pretend that all is well when our people are being murdered, kidnapped, robbed and destroyed? Unemployment, poverty, unpaid salaries and entitlements, rising cost of living, increasing violent sex crimes of rape, pedophilia, incest, terrible addictions are leaving victims psychologically bruised and damaged. In fact, our children and teenagers suffer cruel abuse and neglect and become victims of massive stigma and severe psychological problems. Nigerians seem to have lost our sense of identity, decency, responsibility and security. The level of decay and rut is highly unbelievable. It is despicable and condemnable.
Yes, we may have difficulties that looks extremely large, obstacles that looks impossible, dreams that appear unobtainable, but this is nothing for the God of breakthrough. God cares for all. He is not concerned about race, gender, creed, or social standing. He invites us to care for justice and act with integrity (Psalms 15). God is on our side, let us fear Him. His power and presence have accompanied us always. He will do what is best. We must continue to trust Him regardless of the outcome. He revealed Himself in His Son Jesus Christ who came to put down all social, economic, cultural, political, ethnic and religious barriers that divide us. Though we are agitated and frightened by the ugly events in our lives, we must learn to trust God. Even in broken hearts, He is there. So let us stand strong with consistent prayers and praises and walk in obedience to bask in the glory of God. Even when things do not go as planned, we must keep trusting God, trying, learning and growing. We need God, the origin and source of our salvation to soothe all areas of trauma, fears, tragedies and disappointments in our life and nation. Now is the time to restore hope and give our people the reason to live. We are simply witnesses to the power of God, the real power of the Holy Spirit in our world today. We must Keep alert, stand firm in faith, be courageous and strong.

Very Revd Fr Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Vicar General, Catholic Diocese of Kano, Nigeria