WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU CARE FOR HIM?

[Pastor Bayo Afolaranmi]

Dearly Beloved,

WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU CARE FOR HIM?

“Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?” (Psalm 144:1-3 NIV).

As the year 2014 comes to an end, I am looking back and reflecting on my life and activities in the fading year. The year started brightly for me. I had many aspirations that I wanted to come to pass before the end of the year. I took for granted that I will see the end of the year. With few days for the year to come to an end, I am still alive. I have embarked literally and figuratively on many journeys of life in the course of the year. I have encountered many dangers and passed through many storms of life. Here I am today about to see the end of the year. Each day I am sleeping in the evening and waking up early the next day. I am even observing my siestas any time I have the opportunity. I never knew what is happening when I am asleep. Is it my making that I am waking up each time I sleep? The systems in my body are working perfectly. Probably, I visited the hospital once or twice throughout the year for medical check-ups. I was never admitted for once for health reasons in any hospital. I am eating foods and drinking water and other drinks. How these substances undergo digestive processes in me is a mystery to me. I am easily excreting the waste elements in me everyday. My reasoning faculty is working fine. I am free to go from one place to another. I can go on and on recounting what has happened and is still happening to me in the dying year. Are all these my doings?  What of millions of people that started this year with me, but are no more today? Am I better than them? What of people that are alive, but are not enjoying all these good things that I am enjoying? What makes me special than these people?

As I am reflecting on all these, the words of the Psalmist quoted above come to my mind. What attracts me most in the verses is the clause, “...what is man that you care for him...?” What or who am I that is making God to be so good to me this year? Why is He so mindful of me? Admittedly, I could not achieve all my aspirations this year. However, the Lord has been so good to me during the year. I praise Him for He is indeed “my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?” (Psalm 144:1-3 NIV).

Undoubtedly, the Lord has done many things for you also this fading year. Have you reflected on these things? Do you have any reason to praise Him this year? Will you not also join the Psalmist to exclaim, O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).