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Do you thank God in all circumstances?
Though the Holy Bible enjoins us to give thanks to God in all circumstances, there are occasions when we momentarily lose track of this fact, get confused and completely become miserable.
We are never challenged in life when everything is going on smoothly and things seem to be in their right perspective.
Death is inevitable though, but the death of a parent, child, siblings, close relatives, acquaintances and colleagues among other misfortunes, set our minds to question or doubt the sort of love the omnipotent God has for us.
In such circumstances, we consider death or whichever calamity as unkind, very wicked and impatient. God is also viewed in such circumstances as insensitive to allow calamity or misfortune to befall us.
When a sick person dies suddenly, God could be saving the deceased from excruciating pains, the bereaved family from shock and spending money which would eventually not restore the health of the sick person.
Calvary
Before he ascended the cross on Calvary which had brought salvation to the world, Jesus became sorrowful when he prayed fervently to God to let the cup pass by him. ” Having prayed thus, he quickly concluded that his father’s will should be done, but not his under the circumstance.”
In another vein he prayed, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46.
Though Jesus was in such a state, God’s love and his spirit did not depart from him. ” Behold l am with you, even till the end of time.” This phrase should serve as a reminder to all that God’s love shall never depart from us irrespective of our sinful state.
Lazarus
Our attention should be drawn towards Martha and Mary in the Bible about the death of Lazarus. One can envisage the agony, pain and uncontrollable wailing the two sisters and their relatives might have endured during the period.
To them all hope was lost on account of the death of Lazarus. Additionally, varied thoughts might have passed through their minds, giving way to a state of hopelessness and mistrust.
Bartimaeus
Imagine you were Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, and in another instance a man who became blind from birth. Until their miraculous healing by Jesus, one can envisage the thoughts which might have passed through their minds all these years.
They might have viewed God in a different light, questioned God’s saving power and His love for them. Why has God made them like that, while others enjoy the best conditions in life ?
Can one envisage the ecstatic joy that might have filled the two blind men at the time they received healing variously from Jesus?
Joseph
Another example in the Bible which reminds Christians to give thanks to God in all circumstances is the decision by the children of Jacob to throw Joseph their brother into a well, ostensibly to sell him into slavery.
Unknown to his siblings, God’s saving hands were heavily on Joseph as he had designed a unique task for Joseph which would invariably help many people including their family.
Under such trying moments, Joseph might have lived in a state of confusion and prepared to doubt when the saving hands of God would reach him, if at all.
God allows certain things to happen to us for a purpose and we are surprised as to why misfortunes should happen to us.
Zachariah
When Zachariah, the priest became deaf and dumb, how did he feel about God’s love, care and forgiveness?
Zachariah might have grumbled about how unfair God was to strike him deaf and dumb.
Life is more precious than any treasure we can possess on earth. Irrespective of the misfortune that has befallen us, do we pause to say, ” Thank you God for sustaining our lives?”
In every situation, we must give thanks to God, for we do not know what God has in store for us.
Get yourselves prepared always and let us get inclined towards receiving whatever comes our way.
We ought to know that no matter the ordeal we have to encounter, God is still the same unchanged Supreme Being who has plans for our progress in life, giving us the reason to be grateful to Him at all times.
By Raymond Kyekye
Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has assured the Accra Street Academy of his support in achieving its mission of uplifting vulnerable children within the community to break the cycle of poverty. “Without the needed support, your efforts may go round in circles due to the enormity of the task. This should not be left on the shoulders of the Academy alone. You need support from both government and the private sector. With that, the Academy would be in a good position to shape the future of these children on the streets,” he said.
The Accra Street Academy, originally formed in 1985 as a boxing arena, now serves as a school for deprived children, with most of its population numbering hundreds of pupils being neglected children from the streets of Jamestown and its environs. Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie made these remarks at the annual stakeholders’ meeting and fundraising event held over the weekend under the theme “Empowering Street Children: Health and Wellness.” The event is one of the Academy’s annual programmes, organized to raise funds and other forms of support to aid the school in catering to the needs of the children and holding its Christmas get-together.
According to the MP, it is worth noting that these children are taught and provided with two meals and a snack daily through the support of benevolent members of society. In view of this, he promised to facilitate the acquisition of documents needed for the construction of an Astroturf within the school’s premises. He noted that “every child has the right to play, and therefore I pledged to do my best to secure the needed documents” for the project to commence.
The legislator disclosed that over the years, the academic programmes of the Accra Street Academy have transformed children surviving on the streets into successful adults. He therefore urged other members of society to partner with the school to “help pupils rise higher for a better Ghana.” In the 2025/26 academic year, 22 pupils were absorbed by the Accra Metro Education Directorate as they transitioned into various Junior High Schools, while still returning to the Accra Street Academy for academic support.
Ms. Yvonne Abba-Opoku, a chartered governance advisor and senior executive in the nonprofit and charity sector, stated that the best gift to give a child was education.
By Spectator Reporter
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Mrs Regina Kudom, Senior Midwifery Officer at the New Atuabo Health Centre in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinic regularly for safe delivery.
She revealed that “in Tarkwa and its environs many pregnant women prefer staying at prayer camps, we are not against that, you can be there, but when your time is up for your antenatal session make sure you attend.”
Mrs Kudom gave the advice when the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) observed the World Prematurity Day with pregnant women at New Atuabo, Huniso and Awudua health centres.
World Prematurity Day falls on November 17, every year, and it is celebrated to raise awareness about the challenges faced by pre-term babies and their families.
She said research suggested that sex during pregnancy could soften the cervix and potentially aid in labour preparation.
“That is the reason why we encourage pregnant women to have sex with their partners, if they do not have any health implications,” she added.
Mrs Kudom appealed to the GFGF to upgrade the New Atuabo health centre as the current structure was too small because they received many patients daily.
Madam Ayishetu Mohammed, Project Coordinator for GFGF, explained that they received donations from Project C. U. R. E and the items were given to health facilities in their operational area.
She stated that they noticed there were baby dresses, sanitary pads, and baby apparel, so they decided to distribute them among expectant mothers in three of their host communities.
Madam Mohammed said because the foundation was interested in preventive care, they brought a midwife from the Tarkwa Mine hospital to educate the pregnant women.
She extolled the midwives in New Atuabo health centre for the education they gave to the pregnant women and implored them to heed to the advice given during antenatal visits to reduce maternal deaths in the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities.
Mr Paa Kwasi Egan, Deputy Chief Physician Assistance, emphasised that a pregnant woman being anemic meant she was not eating a balance diet, and added that, “Some of these women do not have money to buy food or visit antenatal clinics.”
He said when men follow their wives for antenatal visits, they would be educated extensively on why they should provide funds for their pregnant wives.
Mr Egan, therefore, encouraged all men to be involved in their pregnant wives’ antenatal care appointments so they could learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. – GNA
