Throw Your Worries Give Am

One fisherman stand for di shore early morning. E swing im hand back and throw one heavy net far out over di water. E release am completely. Na dat picture Peter, one old fisherman, want make we get about our worries.

Peter don be old man now. Long time ago e dey mend nets for di Sea of Galilee, until Jesus call am make e follow am. E waka with Jesus, e fail am, and Jesus forgive am. After di resurrection, for another lake shore, Jesus ask am three times, you love me? And three times Jesus talk, feed my sheep. Now, many years after, Peter dey write from Rome to Christians wey scatter for Asia Minor. Dem dey suffer because of dem faith. As e reach di end of im letter, e first talk to di leaders, and then to everybody.

To di elders wey dey among una, Peter talk, I dey beg una as fellow elder. E no talk, as di great apostle. E talk, as one of una. And e add say e be witness of di sufferings of Christ. Then e give dem di work wey Jesus give am. Be shepherds of God flock wey dey among una. Watch over dem, no be because say una must do am, but because una want do am, as God want. No be because una dey greedy for money, but because una dey eager to serve. No dey lord am over di people wey dey under una care, but be example for di flock. And when di Chief Shepherd appear, una go receive crown of glory wey no go ever fade. Peter know di Chief Shepherd. E don hear am talk before, I be di good shepherd.

Then Peter talk to di younger people, and to all of dem together. Make una submit to una elders. All of una, wear humility toward one another. Picture say you dey tie servant apron. Peter don watch Jesus do exactly dat, tie towel round im waist and wash di feet of di disciples, including Peter own. Because God dey resist di proud, but e dey give grace to di humble. So humble yourself under di mighty hand of God, so dat for di right time e go lift you up. And then di words wey people love well well. Throw all your worry give am; because e care for you. No be some of your worries. All of dem. Throw dem give God, like fisherman wey dey throw im net, because e care about you.

But Peter no dey blind to danger. Make una sober, make una dey watch, e talk. Una enemy di devil dey waka round like lion wey dey roar, dey look for person to swallow. Resist am, as una stand firm for una faith. And remember, you no dey alone. Your brothers and sisters for di whole world dey pass through di same kind sufferings. Then Peter end with one promise, warm and steady. And di God of all grace, wey call una to im glory wey no go end inside Christ, after una don suffer small time, e imself go restore una, and make una strong, firm and steady. To am be di power forever and ever. Amen.

For di very end of dis letter, Peter send greetings from di church for Babylon. Long before dat time, di great city of Babylon don already turn to ruins. So wetin e mean? Di church historian Eusebius write down one early tradition, from one bishop for di second century wey im name na Papias, say Peter write dis letter for Rome, and e call Rome Babylon as figure of speech, di great city where God people dey live as exiles.

Throw your worries give am. You go find Peter words for First Peter chapter five, verse one to eleven. Shepherd with gentleness. Serve with humility. Stand firm. And throw every worry give God, because e care for you. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which worry you dey carry right now wey you fit hand over to God today?