Oh what a joy to know and experience true peace! Hear the savior call out to you, "Come and have a seat" He bids you.
One precious and divine
Yet humble, kind and sublime!
A call to come, dine and wine
With the King of Kings!
Only our God can do this.
Watching out everyday, He longed for your return.
Preparing a banquet, He awaited your comeback from your sojourn in the world.
Never fainting in hope, He looked out each day and dreamt of your arrival every hour.
Being careful to make you comfortable, He set aside the best of robes and the choicest of calves to celebrate your return. His choir rehearses everyday songs of victory to celebrate you! They now await the day of rejoicing in the celestial realms!
To be continued...
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
THE DOING THAT LEFT NOTHING UNDONE
The undoing that left nothing undone…
Amusing isn’t it? Sounds amusing and at first glance, a little more like contradictory.
There is however profound truth in these words I heard from my Pastor on May 23, 2010.
The day being Pentecost Sunday, I promised I was going to make up for the two weeks I had been busy working myself out with other less important things. Long time isn’t it? Yeah! Two weeks was awfully long to absent myself from the gathering of the saints. As I put my fingers to the keys on my PC, I just realized within this two-week period, I have (x) on my Christian Medical Fellowship Calendar I had pasted on my personal notice board. I had been punctual for four weeks each time making sure I ticked (√) each time I made it for the General meeting.
I had a very short sleep and my body ached all over. All the 206 bones in my body could testify they were weary and my back ached like I had fallen off a rampaging horse! My head felt like I was recovering from meningitis! Aching and very tense!
I planned to go for first Mass but I had to quickly change my mind in the morning when I woke up only to check my wall clock. 9:30am already! Almost late for second Mass! I hobbled off to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for service. I could feel the aching muscles and bones and joints and my God… aching everything and drowsy eyes. Luckily, I had a shirt ironed some days ago and my pair of trousers was as good as ironed. I pulled on my socks, chose the lightest of my shoes lest I carry the extra burden of dragging along heavy feet!
The service didn’t start on time and that meant I only missed a brief part of Mass today. It got to Homily time (time to share God’s word). I listened attentively and I am forever grateful I made it for Church that day.
“Today is Pentecost Sunday, Hallelujah!!!!” The Minster was somewhat different today. Something different from the usual solemn, melancholic atmosphere I had become used to as a Catholic. The Priest today was more vibrant and Charismatic. I have to mention here that the congregation was also different! They themselves are usually the ones to create the solemn atmosphere. But today, they were in frenzy if I should put it that way. Of course, I spotted a few disgruntled and discontented faces mostly men and women who had been faithful Catholics for Three scores or more or should I say, the entirety of their lifetime! Men of faith and of good will.
I however enjoyed what I was witnessing. Being youthful and a charismatic catholic myself. An unforgettable experience and one that merited the honor of going down the catalogue of my famous adventures (this one not really an adventure, an awesome experience). As I sat down today (24th May, 2010), it dawned on me I could share this experience with you (my reader) if you would kindly permit me to so and I pray you do. I believe it will bless you just as it blessed me. I believe it will encourage you just as it encouraged me. And I believe your waiting to read the real story is over now!
Enough of my adventure then!
This is what I gathered from the message on that faithful day.
The Apostles after Jesus had been crucified met in the upper room where they chose to wait together on the Lord. Their Master had commanded them to wait for the promise of The Father He had so often told them about. So in obedience to their master, they waited patiently. Fifty (5o) days and nights they waited. Never doubting the promise and never relenting in the faith. Afraid and timid, yet hopeful and trusting. The master had promised them He was not going to leave them like orphans. They believed in it and they waited. They had waited for days and weeks! And yet they waited, still praying and counting the days, they waited. Theirs was not the mandate to discern when the promise was going to be fulfilled. Theirs was to trust in the words of the master and just WAIT!
So on the day of the Pentecost, the apostles are still waiting and the rest of the story follows;
Act 2:1-4
(1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
(2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
(3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and that was all that it required! Just waiting on the Lord and praying and waiting and hoping and a little more waiting!
The Spirit of The Lord came upon them and strengthened them to fulfill the purpose for which they had been called. Their mission could only be fulfilled with courage, the ability to speak in strange tongues, to heal diseases and cast out demons, to spread the good news in foreign lands and other marvelous deeds. Some were whipped for the gospel, chased out of cities, imprisoned, suffering want and hunger and persecuted in every way. Some were even stoned to death whiles they rejoiced! Some fried in oil pots and some crucified!
But how come hitherto such cowardly and timid men now turned fearless and bold and courageous? How come the ones that denied their master in the face of slave girls now unashamedly and fearlessly now proclaiming the Killed man resurrected? Such blasphemy and contempt against the law and the dictates of the high priests and custodians of the law!
The answer is not far reaching at all! They had learned to WAIT! They had learned to wait on the Lord and FULLY trust on His promises. They undid (that I,s did nothing to enforce what had been promised them). They did nothing save holding on to the promise and having faith in the giver of the promise. They prayed and trusted and knew that there was no other way but TO TRUST AND OBEY. That was the undoing!
Indeed, the undoing that left nothing undone!
When we wait on God, He strengthens us.
“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
I once read an illustration from an article about waiting on God. It went like this:
“Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm; it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. When the storms of life come upon us, we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us; we can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that brings sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.”
Such an inspiration from the eagle! May we learn and find truth in this and soar with wings like the eagles. Amen!
Waiting on God also avails us to His blessings. To wait on God is to sit back and say “Father, I cast all my cares upon You, for I know You care for me.” 1Pet 5:7.
It is to relax and know that God is in Control. It is to realize that “when the oceans rise and thunders roar, you will soar with wings above the storm.” It is to know that God is king above the storm and it is only under the pinion of His wings that we can take cover from the storm.
Not by our strength or our might. Our wings will indeed break in the strength of the storm if we relied on them. We are to remain still and know that He is God and King of the floods.
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18).
God is willing and more than able to leave nothing undone in our lives. He calls us to a life of blessedness and peace and victory! He only calls us to be still and know that He is God.
In whatever sphere of our life that we feel we need the extra-push, whenever we feel we need help, whenever we feel we have waited for too long, let us not forget help is on the way if we will only trust and obey.
Prayer:
Teach me, Lord, to wait down on my knees
Till in your own good time you answer my pleas.
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer for the answer from you.
Amusing isn’t it? Sounds amusing and at first glance, a little more like contradictory.
There is however profound truth in these words I heard from my Pastor on May 23, 2010.
The day being Pentecost Sunday, I promised I was going to make up for the two weeks I had been busy working myself out with other less important things. Long time isn’t it? Yeah! Two weeks was awfully long to absent myself from the gathering of the saints. As I put my fingers to the keys on my PC, I just realized within this two-week period, I have (x) on my Christian Medical Fellowship Calendar I had pasted on my personal notice board. I had been punctual for four weeks each time making sure I ticked (√) each time I made it for the General meeting.
I had a very short sleep and my body ached all over. All the 206 bones in my body could testify they were weary and my back ached like I had fallen off a rampaging horse! My head felt like I was recovering from meningitis! Aching and very tense!
I planned to go for first Mass but I had to quickly change my mind in the morning when I woke up only to check my wall clock. 9:30am already! Almost late for second Mass! I hobbled off to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for service. I could feel the aching muscles and bones and joints and my God… aching everything and drowsy eyes. Luckily, I had a shirt ironed some days ago and my pair of trousers was as good as ironed. I pulled on my socks, chose the lightest of my shoes lest I carry the extra burden of dragging along heavy feet!
The service didn’t start on time and that meant I only missed a brief part of Mass today. It got to Homily time (time to share God’s word). I listened attentively and I am forever grateful I made it for Church that day.
“Today is Pentecost Sunday, Hallelujah!!!!” The Minster was somewhat different today. Something different from the usual solemn, melancholic atmosphere I had become used to as a Catholic. The Priest today was more vibrant and Charismatic. I have to mention here that the congregation was also different! They themselves are usually the ones to create the solemn atmosphere. But today, they were in frenzy if I should put it that way. Of course, I spotted a few disgruntled and discontented faces mostly men and women who had been faithful Catholics for Three scores or more or should I say, the entirety of their lifetime! Men of faith and of good will.
I however enjoyed what I was witnessing. Being youthful and a charismatic catholic myself. An unforgettable experience and one that merited the honor of going down the catalogue of my famous adventures (this one not really an adventure, an awesome experience). As I sat down today (24th May, 2010), it dawned on me I could share this experience with you (my reader) if you would kindly permit me to so and I pray you do. I believe it will bless you just as it blessed me. I believe it will encourage you just as it encouraged me. And I believe your waiting to read the real story is over now!
Enough of my adventure then!
This is what I gathered from the message on that faithful day.
The Apostles after Jesus had been crucified met in the upper room where they chose to wait together on the Lord. Their Master had commanded them to wait for the promise of The Father He had so often told them about. So in obedience to their master, they waited patiently. Fifty (5o) days and nights they waited. Never doubting the promise and never relenting in the faith. Afraid and timid, yet hopeful and trusting. The master had promised them He was not going to leave them like orphans. They believed in it and they waited. They had waited for days and weeks! And yet they waited, still praying and counting the days, they waited. Theirs was not the mandate to discern when the promise was going to be fulfilled. Theirs was to trust in the words of the master and just WAIT!
So on the day of the Pentecost, the apostles are still waiting and the rest of the story follows;
Act 2:1-4
(1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
(2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
(3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and that was all that it required! Just waiting on the Lord and praying and waiting and hoping and a little more waiting!
The Spirit of The Lord came upon them and strengthened them to fulfill the purpose for which they had been called. Their mission could only be fulfilled with courage, the ability to speak in strange tongues, to heal diseases and cast out demons, to spread the good news in foreign lands and other marvelous deeds. Some were whipped for the gospel, chased out of cities, imprisoned, suffering want and hunger and persecuted in every way. Some were even stoned to death whiles they rejoiced! Some fried in oil pots and some crucified!
But how come hitherto such cowardly and timid men now turned fearless and bold and courageous? How come the ones that denied their master in the face of slave girls now unashamedly and fearlessly now proclaiming the Killed man resurrected? Such blasphemy and contempt against the law and the dictates of the high priests and custodians of the law!
The answer is not far reaching at all! They had learned to WAIT! They had learned to wait on the Lord and FULLY trust on His promises. They undid (that I,s did nothing to enforce what had been promised them). They did nothing save holding on to the promise and having faith in the giver of the promise. They prayed and trusted and knew that there was no other way but TO TRUST AND OBEY. That was the undoing!
Indeed, the undoing that left nothing undone!
When we wait on God, He strengthens us.
“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
I once read an illustration from an article about waiting on God. It went like this:
“Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm; it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. When the storms of life come upon us, we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us; we can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that brings sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.”
Such an inspiration from the eagle! May we learn and find truth in this and soar with wings like the eagles. Amen!
Waiting on God also avails us to His blessings. To wait on God is to sit back and say “Father, I cast all my cares upon You, for I know You care for me.” 1Pet 5:7.
It is to relax and know that God is in Control. It is to realize that “when the oceans rise and thunders roar, you will soar with wings above the storm.” It is to know that God is king above the storm and it is only under the pinion of His wings that we can take cover from the storm.
Not by our strength or our might. Our wings will indeed break in the strength of the storm if we relied on them. We are to remain still and know that He is God and King of the floods.
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18).
God is willing and more than able to leave nothing undone in our lives. He calls us to a life of blessedness and peace and victory! He only calls us to be still and know that He is God.
In whatever sphere of our life that we feel we need the extra-push, whenever we feel we need help, whenever we feel we have waited for too long, let us not forget help is on the way if we will only trust and obey.
Prayer:
Teach me, Lord, to wait down on my knees
Till in your own good time you answer my pleas.
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer for the answer from you.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Welcome address at the Departmenta Presentation
30th April, 2010
Let me begin by thanking the Almighty God for His grace and mercy, The Child Health Department for the opportunity granted us students to take centre stage on this particular day.
The Head of Dept, our most dedicated lecturers, Mrs' Pappoe and Quaye, invited guests, my hard working colleagues, ladies and gentlemen;
It is an honor to be called upon today to chair this special occassion.
I want to welcome us all to this important gathering.
Our common business here this morning is to try and understand more what we are confronted with everyday as we go about our duty in the Clinics and wherever we find ourselves.
We have done a good so far in studying our patients and their socio-economic background and I hope we even do a better job today in the presentation of our findings in the community and also in trying to bring out the correlation between what we see everyday on the wards and what we have seen in the communities we studied.
Just as Prof. Oliver-Commey will say and I say; "Wo'anhwe no yie aa, wonnhunu no yie" literally meaning, if you don't look well, you will not see well! The wisdom and the truth in this statement and I believe a testimony to this statement is what we are about to witness today.
Let me not keep you waiting a long time for the actual business of the day, indeed it will be a dis-service to you all and to these itchy ears of mine.
You are all welcome and thank you for listening.
Let me begin by thanking the Almighty God for His grace and mercy, The Child Health Department for the opportunity granted us students to take centre stage on this particular day.
The Head of Dept, our most dedicated lecturers, Mrs' Pappoe and Quaye, invited guests, my hard working colleagues, ladies and gentlemen;
It is an honor to be called upon today to chair this special occassion.
I want to welcome us all to this important gathering.
Our common business here this morning is to try and understand more what we are confronted with everyday as we go about our duty in the Clinics and wherever we find ourselves.
We have done a good so far in studying our patients and their socio-economic background and I hope we even do a better job today in the presentation of our findings in the community and also in trying to bring out the correlation between what we see everyday on the wards and what we have seen in the communities we studied.
Just as Prof. Oliver-Commey will say and I say; "Wo'anhwe no yie aa, wonnhunu no yie" literally meaning, if you don't look well, you will not see well! The wisdom and the truth in this statement and I believe a testimony to this statement is what we are about to witness today.
Let me not keep you waiting a long time for the actual business of the day, indeed it will be a dis-service to you all and to these itchy ears of mine.
You are all welcome and thank you for listening.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Godswill
17:04 GMT
17TH APRIL, 2010
B-BLOCK READING ROOM, KORLE-BU.
GODSWILL
Godswill. I wondered why Godswill and not Godwill or even one of my brothers' name; Godfred, Godwin or Godson. Yes! Godson, I loved that one. It denoted the son of God.
Sitting in front of a panel of about 8 or so members, being interviewed for medical school. For the first time, it hit me straight! "So your name is Godswill, tell us, is it God's will that you be admitted to the medical school?" Those were the exact words from the head of the panel, the then vice dean of University of Ghana Medical School and currently the dean.
My answered was an unwavering and emphatic yes! Saying that with confidence and gleaming with joy and happiness before the august panel.
That was my first question and the only question that got me thinking deeply about my name after the interview and even up till now.
I had never thought about what my name really meant. I often got irritated when people asked of my ethnicity and I told them I was Akan. They would go on to say, "But your name sounds Ewe." I had grown tired and weary of having to narrate my family tradition of all male children having a 'God' in their names, like Godfred or Godwin or Godson. They would then go on to comment, "I have heard of Godwill before but Godswill, well." Those were some of the usual comments. I just was getting tired of all these and hence even cutting out that part of my name anytime I had to mention my name.
That day was very much different! Godswill, what did it mean to me? Why did my Daddy name me Godswill? I picked my cell phone and called Daddy and told him about the ordeal in the Conference room of the medical school. We laughed about it and chatted for a while, and then I put forth the question to him. His answer was, “Godswill means God’s will.” As simple as that!
On my own, I contemplated on it in my sober moments.
Little did I know it was going to come to me in such a lucid way as it did recently. Three years after my encounter with the panel that made a decision to help establish God’s will by passing me through that interview.
It was during a fellowship meeting of CMF. I had been away for so long, gosh!! And it felt good to be back. Through the time of praises and worship I felt like my American friend, Melissa when she went to the beads market! I couldn’t concentrate and kept on drifting between why and when and how I had drifted so far from such a fellowship. I thought about going away and never being helped by my family members, that made me feel something like anger or something else. Then I felt I had gotten it all wrong by myself and that I should just accept the responsibility, that made me feel guilty. Then I felt like, maybe it’s because I was involved in other activities since I was now the Health Officer of UGMSA and the Deputy National Health Officer of FGMSA. After sometime, I felt this one too amounted to excusing myself and running away from accepting the truth.
So throughout the service, I could not really follow through with everything. Then came my moment of deliverance and revelation if I should put it. The CMF president at that time mounted the stage in what seemed like his turn to lead us in prayer. First, he read some scriptures from the Bible and urged us to let go off everything and just focus on Jesus. I indulged myself in this exercise. I made a conscious effort to free my mind of the issues on my mind as at that time. It wasn’t an easy task but I tried very hard at this exercise. I succeeded and freed my mind.
It was during this hushed moment of my life that I felt the Lord speaking to me. This was something so unique and amazing. So humbling and awe-inspiring moment. I felt like a voice (The voice of The Lord) telling me this exact statement; “I have called you to fulfill my will.” It was a very enlightening moment of my life. I broke down at that point and cried for a period of time that I can’t remember. After the meeting, I called the love of my life and shared this experience with her.
Reflecting on this incident and all the antecedent events, I think of the importance and the power of names. I think of the story of Jabez (1 Chr 4:9) and of that Nabal (1 Sam 25:25) or even of the apostle Peter (Cephas) – a rock on which Christ built his church. Names can and does have that much power. Ours is to live to the meaning of our good names! Trusting the Master to always provide the ways and means of doing such. If we seem to be in the same predicament as our good example Jabez in the Bible, thank God, Jabez did show us an excellent way! Such an honourable servant of the Master. Jesus was and Is and Will be forever called THE CHRIST (Christos, meaning the Messiah or Anointed one!) Did he live out His name? Yes!!! He was God’s anointed and he went about doing good!
Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Each of us has a story behind our names but most importantly, we have been called individually to fulfill specific missions in life. That is the second thought I have upon the reflection on whatever has been narrated so far. It is not about our dreams anymore but God’s dream and will for us. When we accepted the new life, that was the bargain we were making. We accepted that our way is of no consequence or better still was doomed for destruction and of devastating consequence. We acknowledge we needed someone to provide a better alternative to ours so we could see the dark and be freed from oppression by the ruler of this world.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Great and marvelous and wise is this gift:
The just for the unjust.
The Master for the slave
The sinless for the sinner,
The creator for the creature,
Afflicted, rejected, chastised, bruised,
Mocked by the ones he came to save, etc.
-Isaiah 53
Yet, He did not even consider equality with God something to be grasped with; He agreed to take the place of the vilest of men so we could have a share in His inheritance.
Upon all these, man’s parts of the bargain are to Confess with the mouth and believe in his heart that Christ is the savior who died for man’s sins.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Surely, it’s the best you can get anywhere! A deal that will see us escaping all that we deserved.
Ours is to avail ourselves to be conformed to The Masters will. Let’s be guided by these words from Ps. Max Lucado:
CHRIST IN ME
To have my voice
But Him speaking.
My steps
But Christ leading.
My heart
But His love beating
In me, through me, with me.
To tap His strength
When mine expires
Or feel the force
Of Heavens fires
Raging, purging wrong desires
Could Christ become my entire?
Yes! That is Christ in me!
We must live in Christ and allow Him to live in us also. We must seek to find and understand what God’s will is for our lives and be ready to accept and live it out.
Back to my story, I also realized that, sometimes we seem to allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by circumstances and then look out for excuses to justify ourselves. We can never justify ourselves as I have already pointed out. We were like sheep gone astray… We must allow the spirit of God to work on us to transform us more and more everyday into Christ’s perfect image. When we are convicted, it is a sure sign of God’s love for us and a sign of The Holy Spirit at work in us – The Parakletos.
At times too, the church fails to recognize or should I say refuses to respond to members in genuine need. Some in our churches may not be in need of the doctrine of giving primarily. The church must identify those in need whether financially, emotionally, socially or those who are falling in the faith especially. It is our duty to correct with love and turn our brothers and sisters away from falling back or backsliding.
I sought to discuss how I came to realize an important revelation in my life about my name but I believe it was God’s will that I continued up till this point. He gives strength to the humble and wisdom even to the simple if he will listen.
God bless you for reading.
John Godswill Gyasi Banin
National Health Officer, FGMSA.
17TH APRIL, 2010
B-BLOCK READING ROOM, KORLE-BU.
GODSWILL
Godswill. I wondered why Godswill and not Godwill or even one of my brothers' name; Godfred, Godwin or Godson. Yes! Godson, I loved that one. It denoted the son of God.
Sitting in front of a panel of about 8 or so members, being interviewed for medical school. For the first time, it hit me straight! "So your name is Godswill, tell us, is it God's will that you be admitted to the medical school?" Those were the exact words from the head of the panel, the then vice dean of University of Ghana Medical School and currently the dean.
My answered was an unwavering and emphatic yes! Saying that with confidence and gleaming with joy and happiness before the august panel.
That was my first question and the only question that got me thinking deeply about my name after the interview and even up till now.
I had never thought about what my name really meant. I often got irritated when people asked of my ethnicity and I told them I was Akan. They would go on to say, "But your name sounds Ewe." I had grown tired and weary of having to narrate my family tradition of all male children having a 'God' in their names, like Godfred or Godwin or Godson. They would then go on to comment, "I have heard of Godwill before but Godswill, well." Those were some of the usual comments. I just was getting tired of all these and hence even cutting out that part of my name anytime I had to mention my name.
That day was very much different! Godswill, what did it mean to me? Why did my Daddy name me Godswill? I picked my cell phone and called Daddy and told him about the ordeal in the Conference room of the medical school. We laughed about it and chatted for a while, and then I put forth the question to him. His answer was, “Godswill means God’s will.” As simple as that!
On my own, I contemplated on it in my sober moments.
Little did I know it was going to come to me in such a lucid way as it did recently. Three years after my encounter with the panel that made a decision to help establish God’s will by passing me through that interview.
It was during a fellowship meeting of CMF. I had been away for so long, gosh!! And it felt good to be back. Through the time of praises and worship I felt like my American friend, Melissa when she went to the beads market! I couldn’t concentrate and kept on drifting between why and when and how I had drifted so far from such a fellowship. I thought about going away and never being helped by my family members, that made me feel something like anger or something else. Then I felt I had gotten it all wrong by myself and that I should just accept the responsibility, that made me feel guilty. Then I felt like, maybe it’s because I was involved in other activities since I was now the Health Officer of UGMSA and the Deputy National Health Officer of FGMSA. After sometime, I felt this one too amounted to excusing myself and running away from accepting the truth.
So throughout the service, I could not really follow through with everything. Then came my moment of deliverance and revelation if I should put it. The CMF president at that time mounted the stage in what seemed like his turn to lead us in prayer. First, he read some scriptures from the Bible and urged us to let go off everything and just focus on Jesus. I indulged myself in this exercise. I made a conscious effort to free my mind of the issues on my mind as at that time. It wasn’t an easy task but I tried very hard at this exercise. I succeeded and freed my mind.
It was during this hushed moment of my life that I felt the Lord speaking to me. This was something so unique and amazing. So humbling and awe-inspiring moment. I felt like a voice (The voice of The Lord) telling me this exact statement; “I have called you to fulfill my will.” It was a very enlightening moment of my life. I broke down at that point and cried for a period of time that I can’t remember. After the meeting, I called the love of my life and shared this experience with her.
Reflecting on this incident and all the antecedent events, I think of the importance and the power of names. I think of the story of Jabez (1 Chr 4:9) and of that Nabal (1 Sam 25:25) or even of the apostle Peter (Cephas) – a rock on which Christ built his church. Names can and does have that much power. Ours is to live to the meaning of our good names! Trusting the Master to always provide the ways and means of doing such. If we seem to be in the same predicament as our good example Jabez in the Bible, thank God, Jabez did show us an excellent way! Such an honourable servant of the Master. Jesus was and Is and Will be forever called THE CHRIST (Christos, meaning the Messiah or Anointed one!) Did he live out His name? Yes!!! He was God’s anointed and he went about doing good!
Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Each of us has a story behind our names but most importantly, we have been called individually to fulfill specific missions in life. That is the second thought I have upon the reflection on whatever has been narrated so far. It is not about our dreams anymore but God’s dream and will for us. When we accepted the new life, that was the bargain we were making. We accepted that our way is of no consequence or better still was doomed for destruction and of devastating consequence. We acknowledge we needed someone to provide a better alternative to ours so we could see the dark and be freed from oppression by the ruler of this world.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Great and marvelous and wise is this gift:
The just for the unjust.
The Master for the slave
The sinless for the sinner,
The creator for the creature,
Afflicted, rejected, chastised, bruised,
Mocked by the ones he came to save, etc.
-Isaiah 53
Yet, He did not even consider equality with God something to be grasped with; He agreed to take the place of the vilest of men so we could have a share in His inheritance.
Upon all these, man’s parts of the bargain are to Confess with the mouth and believe in his heart that Christ is the savior who died for man’s sins.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Surely, it’s the best you can get anywhere! A deal that will see us escaping all that we deserved.
Ours is to avail ourselves to be conformed to The Masters will. Let’s be guided by these words from Ps. Max Lucado:
CHRIST IN ME
To have my voice
But Him speaking.
My steps
But Christ leading.
My heart
But His love beating
In me, through me, with me.
To tap His strength
When mine expires
Or feel the force
Of Heavens fires
Raging, purging wrong desires
Could Christ become my entire?
Yes! That is Christ in me!
We must live in Christ and allow Him to live in us also. We must seek to find and understand what God’s will is for our lives and be ready to accept and live it out.
Back to my story, I also realized that, sometimes we seem to allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by circumstances and then look out for excuses to justify ourselves. We can never justify ourselves as I have already pointed out. We were like sheep gone astray… We must allow the spirit of God to work on us to transform us more and more everyday into Christ’s perfect image. When we are convicted, it is a sure sign of God’s love for us and a sign of The Holy Spirit at work in us – The Parakletos.
At times too, the church fails to recognize or should I say refuses to respond to members in genuine need. Some in our churches may not be in need of the doctrine of giving primarily. The church must identify those in need whether financially, emotionally, socially or those who are falling in the faith especially. It is our duty to correct with love and turn our brothers and sisters away from falling back or backsliding.
I sought to discuss how I came to realize an important revelation in my life about my name but I believe it was God’s will that I continued up till this point. He gives strength to the humble and wisdom even to the simple if he will listen.
God bless you for reading.
John Godswill Gyasi Banin
National Health Officer, FGMSA.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Life's Great Play
We are all in Life's great play - comedy and tragedy, smiles and tears, sunshine and shadow, summer and winter, and in time we take all parts. We must take our part, whatever it may be, at any given time, always bravely and with a keen appreciation of every opportunity and a keen alertness at every turn as the play progresses.
A good "entrance" and a good "exit" contribute strongly to the playing of a deservedly worthy role. We are not always able perhaps to choose just as we would the details of our entrance, but the manner of our playing and the manner of our exit we can all determine, and this no man, no power can deny us; this in every human life can be made indeed most glorious, however humble it may begin, or however humble it may remain or exalted it may become, according to conventional standards of judgment.
We progress in the degree that we manipulate wisely all things that enter into our lives, and that make the sum total of each one's life experience. Let us be brave and strong in the presence of each problem as it presents itself and make the best of all. Let us help the things we can help, and let us be not bothered or crippled by the things we cannot help.
The great God of all is watching and manipulating these things most wisely and we need not fear or even have concern regarding them.
A good "entrance" and a good "exit" contribute strongly to the playing of a deservedly worthy role. We are not always able perhaps to choose just as we would the details of our entrance, but the manner of our playing and the manner of our exit we can all determine, and this no man, no power can deny us; this in every human life can be made indeed most glorious, however humble it may begin, or however humble it may remain or exalted it may become, according to conventional standards of judgment.
We progress in the degree that we manipulate wisely all things that enter into our lives, and that make the sum total of each one's life experience. Let us be brave and strong in the presence of each problem as it presents itself and make the best of all. Let us help the things we can help, and let us be not bothered or crippled by the things we cannot help.
The great God of all is watching and manipulating these things most wisely and we need not fear or even have concern regarding them.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Health Week 2009
ANNUAL NATIONAL HEALTH WEEK
PREVENT MALARIA; SAVE A MOTHER AND A CHILD
Annual National Health Week is an initiative of the Federation of Ghana Medical Students’ Associations that brings the medical student closer to the community and affords the medical student an invaluable opportunity to bring his/ her knowledge and acumen to bear on improving the life of the ordinary Ghanaian. During Health Week, Medical Students all over Ghana (FGMSA) are given one week off lectures and ward sessions so they can travel to districts across Ghana and engage in a one week intensive health education/ campaign
Students are trained as volunteers in pertinent health issues and then dispatched to the various districts/ regions to embark on a far-reaching health education campaign. Collaborators over the years have been the Ministry of Health (Major collaborator), The Ghana Health Service and interested corporate entities.
Malaria continues to be a major health challenge in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana, very much, inclusive.
According to the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, malaria is responsible for up to 50% of in-patient admission and 44% of out-patient visits remain malaria related. Among pregnant women in Ghana, 14% of out-patient visits, 11% of admissions and 9% of deaths are due to malaria and its myriad complications.
Though absolutely preventable and very curable, many pregnant women and children under five continue to die needlessly from malaria. Thus the theme for this edition was, Prevent Malaria; save a mother and a child.
Activities lined-up for the week-long celebration were as follows;
12/09/09 – Awareness walk in Accra and Kumasi
19/09/09 – Grand-durbar and Launch of Health Week 2009.
20/09/09 – Departure of teams of volunteers to the various assigned districts.
21/09/09 to 26/09/09 – Health education/ campaign in the various districts.
The focus of our message revolved around the following three thematic areas in terms of preventing malaria:
1. The use of insecticide treated nets,
2. Improved health seeking behavior and effective case management of malarial illnesses,
3. The importance of adhering to the full course of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for pregnant women.
Teams of at least four students were stationed in each district and their task was to carry the message to the general public. Volunteers did this by outreaches to High schools, Talk shows at workplaces and offices; health talks at antenatal clinics and child welfare clinics. Other means used were the use of information vans provided by the district assemblies and also through the use of local radio stations.
By working in collaboration with the District Health Management Teams in the various districts, we managed to effectively carry our message on malaria in pregnancy and children to the communities. Other achievements of the project included the following:
1. Distribution of 100 Insecticide Treated Nets and 100 insect repellent creams to Pregnant Women attending antenatal The La general Hospital.
2. Distribution of about 10, 000 K-O TAB retreatment drugs for the mosquito nets nation-wide.
3. Demonstration of how to re-treat mosquito nets.
It is our firm believe that through the celebration of Annual National Health Week, we have made our contribution to helping Ghana achieve her Millennium Development Goals especially Goals 4 and 5 (i.e Reducing Maternal and Child Mortality).
The FGMSA hopes to build more partnerships in the future with other NMOs and agencies to make Health Week more meaningful and effective.
Health Week 2009 - Preventing malaria; saving a mother and a child!
Written by John Godswill Gyasi Banin
Dep. National Health Officer, FGMSA
Public Health Committee Chairman, UGMSA
Monday, December 14, 2009
Back through the days
Memories are forever! When we cannot alter the past and know not what the future holds for us, we must in our sober moments of contemplation, relish the sweet memories of the past, resolve to make the present a sweet future memory! JGGB.
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