Talking everything about Elders at the Gate in a devotional platform like this will appear very bogus. We are paraphrasing the detailed information. By now we must have discovered that the topic “Where are the Elders at the Gate” is talking of elders in town, cities, nations and in religious groups, standing against imports of anything that could harm the citizens or give the general people bad names. Many of us within the elders’ age today keep wondering, if the present world is that which we were born into and nurtured up into the age we are now. At our growing up, all elders were sincerely and dedicatedly committed to harmony, peace, brotherliness and civilly societies. It is believed by this devotional that elders of our present time will examine themselves and save the world from the decays overwhelming everybody.
Today’s devotional is touching three more responsibilities of elders at the gate as we conclude on this topic. First, elders at the gate sincerely rebuke disturbers of peace, guard against treacherous elements, restrain the contentious people, liberate the poor and approve good ideas or suggestions from people other than their members. Elders who fall short of these things could pass for “evil elders”. In Africa and in Nigeria particularly, we must try to be become good elders at the gates and not evil elders at the gates.
Secondly, whatever roles elders in the cities or in nations play must be within the confines of good decision-making, using wisdom to resolve conflicts, giving positive and effective directions to those going offline as well as tacking evils without being bias. Nations are always in big troubles when elders do the opposites of the above mentioned roles. In Nigeria for instance, elders have failed in these areas over times. Today, various evils are holding us hostages. Yet, we are blaming our predecessors and bending things to tribal and religious sentiments. We can see the significant roles the Council of Elders in Jerusalem during the reign of Jesus’ Apostles played, they restrained the church from infiltrations by people of diverse doctrines and human made laws (Acts 16: 2, 4, 6, 22, 23; 16: 4).
The Christians’ Bible said an elder who rules well can be given double honour (1 Tim. 5: 17). The Greek word the word “rule” is taken from is “proistemi”. It means “to be first”. This means elders have the responsibilities to stand first in confronting challenges, stand first to speaking the truth and stand first in defending the nation. When elders stand first, as has been in Nigeria these days, in supporting violence, first in telling the youth to go and kill, first to speak war and other related vices; a fundamental error is being established. Such elders should cease to being address as elders. This devotional therefore, challenges elders in Nigeria and in Africa at large as well as the entire world to stand up to protecting their homes, cities, communities and nations from the hands of the evil individuals.
PRAYERS:
1. Pray to God to change the mentalities of our elders to knowing how to restore peace, love and social sanity to the world again.
2. Pray that God should empower the religious elders and the traditional elders the desperate politicians have corrupt them with money with courage to stand out for the truth in Jesus name.
POSITIVE DECLARATION:
I receive soundness of mind today to stand against the vices of our elders at the gate. Hallelujah!
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch