There is a Scripture that says God reigns in the affairs of men (Daniel 4:17). When it comes to matters relating to leadership; either in an organization or in the family or even in the nation at large, you can be rest assured that God takes interest in it, as much as men do as well. When it comes to leadership, it is one area that God does not joke with. The reason for this is simply because the direction of a people per time is usually premised on the kind of leadership that is in charge over such people. Godly leadership, for instance takes people into God’s divine purpose for them.
God raised up Moses at a time when He saw the afflictions of the children of Israel in a foreign land (Exodus 3:11). He commissioned Moses to lead them into a land that He has promised them through their forefathers Abraham. We saw from the Scriptures that Moses eventually led them out of Egypt, although he could not make it with the children of Israel into the said promised land due to an infraction; but we read that Joshua was the one who eventually completed the task of ensuring that the people got to the said promised land (Numbers 27).
From that story, we can deduce that godly leadership is by and large, to see that a people are diligently led into the plans of God for them. The destinies of people and nations are dependent upon whosoever that has been given the leadership authority. In 1 Samuel 8, we read how the choice of man had come into play over the kind of leadership they desire. Israel in that story had looked at their surrounding nations who are being led by kings, and they envied them. They wanted to have a king who would go all out and fight their battles for them.
They were tired of having judges over them, they must have felt at the time that the reason they were not progressing as a nation was because they do not have a king. So, they cried to Samuel to entreat God for them, for a king. Their action showed one thing: they rejected God’s leadership, and they chose for themselves their own leader.
One may be wondering; but God gave them King Saul. Yes, it is the truth. God gave them Saul to reveal their inadequacies to them and how their decision was going to eventually become their greatest undoing. Although Saul had all the physical characteristics of a king. He was tall and huge as well, perhaps educated in one of the best military schools at the time; when looked at in our contemporary times. But the salvation that Israel needed at the time could not come from him, despite all his qualifications.
Nigeria will be going into another elections in about a month’s time from now. I believe many by now would have seen how our choices of leadership in the past, have gotten us to where we are presently.
The whole essence of the earlier part of this piece is to let us see, from the Scriptures; what happens when people reject God’s leadership, and allow their emotions to decide who they want as their leaders instead. The truth is, God may not come down physically in person to come and be Nigeria’s next president. But one thing we cannot deny or shy away from is that He has his own preferred candidate; yes God has candidates for different positions in this coming elections in Nigeria. There are many candidates vying for one position or the other; have you really taking time to pray as what God’s choice is amongst these candidates? Have you prayerfully considered who they are?
Think about this as you head to the polls in February. Your choice of candidate matters, and it is important that it God’s choice as well. God bless you.
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
