Celebrate Jesus is a powerful praise song by Evelyn Wanjiru. It came recently to my hearing in a wonderful way. One of the hallmarks of churches is the presence of testimonies. I remember that among my memories as a child of visiting other churches and open-air gatherings were believers giving their testimonies. In the Roman Catholic church, there weren’t such. That is why at the time it was a big deal. I would later come to know that testifying is a way of life. We still have testimonies in church, and outside, even more than back then because everyone now experiences the movement of the Holy Spirit in such big bounds that miracles, signs, and wonders are not a new thing anymore. They are everywhere. I could be wrong. Anyway, I have a testimony.
This is the second time I celebrate Jesus in a testimony within a week. I Have lost count, of how many we have had so far since we came to this estate. I live in a very interesting estate. It is filled with all kinds of drama from the occasional domestic violence, drunkards all over, political chaos, the occasional insult-filled matatu crew and motorcycle riders, and such stuff. I feel it is more than the usual share in other estates. I am sure at the back of your mind, you would be wondering, why would we even stay in such a place if there is all this happening around and you don’t like it? “Why complain while you can move kind of thought…” The Lord said we move there. For a while, we didn’t know why, but immediately we aligned ourselves, and we got to know why the Lord wanted us in that neighborhood. We got to the reigning part of the assignment real fast. Roles, among which included praying for the neighborhood. At first, we were full of strategies for how to make the estate great again but we did not get the breakthrough we needed.
In the immediate season, we have been praying for peace, calm and sober leadership in our estate. I will get to this later. While at it, another fervent prayer point was that the neighborhood kids would stop singing immoral songs & acting to them. Like seriously immoral songs. Don’t even ask. A few meters away from our gate is a pub, that closes around midnight. The neighborhood kids also play until late. I don’t even know who lets their children play until 10 in the pm. This play and exposure to all sorts of content get them singing some very weird songs. It is a shock to us because we didn’t expect kids to sing such. We started by saying how we wouldn’t like our children to grow up in such a neighborhood. Then this transitioned to “we won’t let our children play out there”. Eventually, this turned into prayer towards children who grow right and free from the influences of the dark and dirty world surrounding them.
While coming from church last weekend, I was struggling to hear a song the group of kids was singing. They were happily throwing in the air what looked like rice flakes or something in the lines of confetti. It was almost seven pm. Visibility wasn’t the best, so I couldn’t identify them clearly. They were chanting “…Celebrate Jesus…” the amazing song by Evelyn Wanjiru and throwing the flakes on themselves just those two words on rewind… “Celebrate – Jesus!” I was so happy, I couldn’t hold my joy! I parked outside the gate and took some time to take that in. I then broke into a prayer of thanksgiving. The Lord will expose us to things that will most definitely irk us and most of them are usually beyond our reach. Beyond our reach to mean, we cannot handle them with our own physical efforts. that change in song tells me that there is more happening in the background and especially in their hearts.
Yes. Jesus is Lord. I honestly applaud children celebrating Jesus. Not just children but all over. The idea to celebrate Jesus in all sectors, places, and meetings is one that we could get used to honestly. I have personally had enough of evil and wickedness being the applauded order of the day. To God be the glory. I thank God for the transformation he’s birthing in this place. One prayer point at a time!
Celebrate Jesus!!!