Someone was told that Jesus is the answer and he replied: “What is the question?” The question is man’s predicament, which source is sin or transgression of God’s Law – doing what God says should not be done or failing to do what God says should be done.
Disobedience to God, lawlessness, ungodliness and carelessness have created problems for man and landed him into troubles, for which Jesus is the answer. His name means “God is our Salvation”.
Dictionary.com defines problem as any question or matter that involves doubt, uncertainty or difficulty. It is a perceived gap between the existing state and the desired state or what is and how we would like things to be. Problems differ according to people’s ability, strength, status, position, etc. What is a problem for one may not be a problem to another because he is endowed, enabled or accessible to a solution. Even what is a problem to a particular person at a particular time may not be a problem to him at another time.
However, man generally has many problems and some problems are general to man. Many things bother or trouble his heart. He earnestly desires and struggles to live and attain some status – socially, economically, psychologically, and spiritually. He finds himself plunged into some unpleasant and ugly situations such as illness, pain, death of loved ones, murder, rape, extreme poverty, homelessness, want, hunger, need, depression, drugs, alcohol, financial downturns, loss of jobs, infidelity, robbery, kidnapping, rejection, loneliness, and suicide. As he struggles, he is greatly disturbed by all the hindrances and obstacles, contrary spirits and the enemies’ works and machinations. His question has often been: How can I make it? Or how can I succeed? He frantically searches for an answer everywhere.
But it is God that is the answer. All that man needs is in God. To have God is to have everything. He is the solution to all our problems and the satisfaction of our heartfelt desires and yearnings. Hence, we beckon on him (in the Collect for the day) to look on the heartfelt desires of his servants and stretch forth his powerful right hand to be our defence against all enemies. Some of the problems may appear insurmountable to some people. But with God, nothing is impossible. God has the solution, to all our problems, namely, Jesus. Jesus is all we need.
In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matt. 13:44), which is one of the readings for the day, a man discovered a treasure hidden in a field and had to sell all that he had in order to purchase the field. The man was obviously wise. He realized the worth of the field because of the treasure in it and so did everything possible to acquire the field. Owning the field would mean owning the treasure and all that it entails. His problems were over.
Many people are not as wise as this man. Even when they see the power, wealth, greatness and majesty in Jesus, they fail to do anything serious to make him their own. They continue to scout for answers to their manifold problems when all their efforts should be in making God really theirs. Everything we need is in Jesus. All our problems, worries and questions can find the answer in him.
Jesus is the Answer.
The Venerable Dr Princewill Onyinyechukwu Ireoba, FIMC, CMC.
Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.