God cares about you!
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him. (2Thess 1:11-12)
Lifelong Learning is a matter I pondered upon seriously over the last month; while we are all lifelong learners, I considered pushing this issue deliberately with regular formal settings on subjects that build me and the people around me; I am getting set. One fact that we all need to learn more and more is that God care; some people tell exciting stories of God’s wonderful care, while others have unpleasant tales that have increased their doubt about God’s love. God cares about you – does it make sense? The song by Sounds of Blackness carries a lovely chorus:
God cares all about you, and He'll be there to see you through;
And when no one will comfort you, He'll care about you.
God cares all about you, and He'll be there when you're feeling blue;
And when your life has broken you, He'll care about you.
How can a community whose country has been at war for decades take in these words? Around us are students preparing for exams at different levels, with some still worried because they don’t see where money for fees will come from. What about the Christians in a hostile country like Northern Nigeria our somewhere in the Middle or Far East – the are surrounded by overt persecutions, like it was for the Thessalonians. Can we boldly say God cares? There are many situations at work, in the social square and at home, that would make someone ask with suspicion: Does God really care? I call all these situations that should be turned into classrooms to learn more. The truth is many people believe God cares, but sometimes do not understand His ways.
He cares about the Thessalonians who were facing persecutions; Paul wrote and assured them of his prayers, and to comfort and support them under the afflictions and persecutions they endured for the sake of the Gospel. Paul’s second letter is pastoral, emphatic on how to maintain a healthy church with an effective testimony in proper response to sound eschatology and obedience to the truth; thus he encouraged them about hard work and responsible stewardship in this present life as part of their worship and evangelical love for God.
God cares about Zac, a marketplace guy with all manner of corruption surrounding him; he was hungry but hopeless; he felt very far away from God and hoped to only catch a glimpse of Jesus from up the tree he climbed; but Jesus called him down, and went to his home and ate with him! God cares about you. Can I explain what this means in this short space? Well, even if I had longer, it wouldn’t be easy. Believe it, take it and you will understand it all by and by, along the journey of lifelong learning: God cares about you.