We are in very trying times in Nigeria. A time when many think God has forsaken us, a time many are also asking “Where is God?”; I’ve heard Christians ask “Why is God silent over the predicament of our nation?” I want to tell you that in spite of all our challenges God still loves us with a perfect love; He has not forsaken or abandoned us. There was never a time He stopped loving us, even if all other nations forsake us God will not. The question was asked in the scriptures… “Who shall separate us from the love of God?” Is it when we have trouble, tribulation or distress, persecution, famine, poverty or in danger, when we are threatened with death, has God deserted us? The answer is NO, for Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Not even sin can separate us from God’s love because He sent His Son Jesus to die and set us free from the bondage of sin. Jesus took the punishment for my sin and yours and declared us not guilty. Who then will condemn us, Will Christ? No! for He is the one who died for us and came back to life again for us and is sitting at the right hand of God, pleading for us there in heaven. Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us. All you need do is open your heart to this love (JESUS) God sent to us. In Jerusalem there was a pool called Bethesda with five platforms surrounding it. Crowds of sick people –the lame, blind, paralyzed lay on the platforms waiting for a certain movement of the water, for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and disturbed the water, and the first person to step down into it afterwards was healed. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty eight years, his sickness being caused by his sin. When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill He had mercy on him. I believe some sort of business must have been going on at the pool, where some people monitored the exact moment the water moved to quickly get in the sick person who must have paid them for the service. This man had neither money nor a helper. Since it was his sin that made him sick, maybe he was a well known armed robber, rapist, homosexual, etc. whatever his sin was, people may have also despised and ignored him because they knew him as a sinner. But Jesus didn’t ignore him; he showed him mercy. He told Jesus, he had no one to help him get into the pool at the stirring of the water. Jesus then said to him “stand up, roll up your sleeping mat and go home! Instantly, the man was healed, he rolled up his mat and began walking. I thought He should be the one to judge and condemn the man – NO, Jesus came to set sinners free from the bondage of sin and offer them a new life of holiness and righteousness, His own very life- have you been set free from the bondage of sin? If no, cry out to Jesus and certainly He will hear and answer you. It was on Sabbath when the miracle was done. So the Jewish leaders objected that the man should carry his mat on the Sabbath day, for on Sabbath days no one was allowed to do any work, so they told him it was illegal to carry his sleeping mat. He answered them: “The man who healed me told me to carry my mat”. “Who said such a thing as that” they demanded. The man didn’t know, and Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. Afterwards, Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; don’t sin as you did before or something even worse may happen to you.” The man went to find the Jewish leaders and told them it was Jesus who had healed him. So they persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, but Jesus replied “My father has been working until now, and I have been working” then the Jewish leaders were all the more eager to kill him. Jesus showed the sick man mercy, but his own priests don’t even love him, they weren’t happy that a man who was sick for 38 years received his healing. God will show Nigeria mercy in spite of her enemies of progress. You and I have a crucial part to play for this to be. We may reckon Nigeria to be in the state of the sick man needing help. Only Jesus can bring about the change we hope for. The good news is that Jesus who showed the sick man mercy is still at work; He hasn’t stopped working, He can’t stop showing love, His love is unconditional and has no end, it is everlasting. Jesus loves Nigeria. Yes, He hates the sin that brings separation from God, disgrace and downfall, so He died to set us free from our sin and is very willing to heal our land. He is not condemning us, but wants to heal us and save us if we are willing. Our sin is great- the constant killing, corruption, stealing, child molestation and rape, homosexuality, prostitution, fornication, adultery, idolatry, hatred, fighting, prejudice etc, but His love is greater. Sin cannot separate us from God’s love if we receive and believe in Jesus, whom He sent to set us free. Note that Jesus looked for the man after He healed him and told him what to do to remain healed and enjoy his life- he is to sin no more. That is love, not leaving him without the knowledge of what will sustain his healing and make him enjoy life. Knowing this; God loves us and desires to bring us out of our present predicament as a nation. He who did not withhold His own Son from us, but gave Him up for us, won’t He also give us everything else? We have to allow Jesus to help us, for there is no help anywhere except in Jesus Christ; He is the one that will show us the way forward. You and I are the Nigerians to be set free from our sin and be healed. Let us ask God for what we need. First is -the salvation of our individual souls, and the resolve to walk with Him. If we are saved Nigeria is saved, if we are healed Nigeria is healed. You are Nigeria, I am Nigeria- our acts build or bring down NIGERIA. Therefore pray like this: Lord Jesus I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and gone my own way, please show me mercy, set me free from the bondage of sin and give me a new life, the life of holiness and righteousness, heal me of every sickness, infirmity and predicament as a result of my sin, help me to walk with you all the days of my life-Amen. To grow in your faith, please study the Bible daily and also fellowship with Godly people around you. As you continue to grow in your faith, Nigeria will be receiving the illuminating Light of God to save us from our sin and heal our land

if really God still love nigeria, then y are we still suffering and passing thru pains? god must hav desert us cos our sins are so much even more than d ones sodom and gomorah commited