President John Dramani Mahama has called on Ghanaians to join hands in giving thanks to God for the “bountiful blessings” He has poured on the nation over the past two years.
He recalled the 2012 election petition which engaged the attention of the nation for almost one year, saying the tension and anxiety around the election dispute could have resulted in conflict in some other countries.
“The Almighty God granted us His favour. He imbued our justices with the discernment and wisdom to successfully adjudicate this suit. Peace and calm continued to reign over the land before, during and after the court case,” he said.
President Mahama made the call when he joined members of Aglow International, at the Independence Square in Accra last Saturday, in their annual national thanksgiving service.
He stressed that God had held the nation together in the face of many challenges, such as the spate of market fires, energy crisis, ill health of the economy, industrial actions, demonstrations and the deadly Ebola disease.
“In all these, the Almighty God has granted us the resilience to remain standing and to maintain our dignity even in the face of the most scathing criticism. It is my belief that God, in the coming years, will touch the hearts of even our staunchest opponents to understand that we wish the same prosperity and the same bright future for our children and our nation as they do,” he said.
President Mahama said personally, God had been gracious to him as president and to the nation as a whole, adding that “Time will not permit me to enumerate the numerous and uncountable blessings that God has bestowed upon us in these last few years.”
Waxing biblical, the President made elaborate references to I Kings 6:24-33; I Kings 17; Judges 6, and Psalm 46 to establish the wondrous nature of God even in the midst of tribulations, believing in His ability to deliver Ghana from its challenges.
He lauded the Aglow International for its intercessory prayers for the nation and prayed for God’s strength and guidance in the years ahead.
The National President of Aglow International, Dr Dorothy Danso, said Ghana was a blessed nation endowed with many natural resources.
She observed that in recent times, the country had suffered many setbacks but said that just as the Israelites emerged out of bondage in Egypt, so would Ghana emerge out of its challenges.
“I declare, as the servant of the Lord, over the nation that no evil plan shall come near our dwelling,” she said.
Dr Danso said members of Aglow International would continue to pray until the nation’s challenges were overcome.
The non-denominational thanksgiving service was on the theme: “Ebenezer, thus far has the Lord helped (Ghana).”
The ceremony climaxed a year-long monthly thanksgiving services organised by Aglow International to express gratitude to God for His goodness to Ghana in 2014, particularly the preservation of peace and stability and the protection of the country from the dreadful Ebola disease.
The members of Aglow International were in full glow, radiating in their resplendent clothing in the national colours, as they sang, danced, worshipped and praised God for His graciousness towards the nation.
The blurring of vuvuzelas and performances by renowned gospel artistes, Rev. Yabs and Stella Seal, lifted the praises higher into the heavens.
The Aglow women also gave full meaning to the service dubbed “Aforebo Kese”, as they presented their thanksgiving offerings in large measure, both in cash and in kind.
From the north to south and east to west, they came with large quantities of food items which were earmarked for donation to the Osu Children’s Home.
Having given God His due, Aglow International also gave its members their due by sharing gifts to them, in the spirit of Christmas, as they looked forward to better prospects in 2015.
