O Lord, I come humbly to you with these few lines of thanksgiving on behalf of Arsenal Football Club of England. I am not a fan of Arsenal but, like my brother’s keeper, I feel for them; because they always face lots of flak and fury from too many enemies yearning for their fall.
I thank you, Lord, for what you did for Arsenal on Tuesday. You finally helped them overcome several enemies who did not want them to win the English Premier League. The enemies proved to be stronger than The Gunners, and I had to intercede on their behalf. I prayed for them in the mighty name of Jesus, and you answered me.
Halleluyah! Arsenal have won the EPL title for the first time since 2014!! They toiled, struggled, panted and bottled it for 22 years, finishing third in the past three seasons, until you turned their captivity around on Tuesday.
Thank you, Lord! You hearkened to my voice on behalf of the downtrodden Gunners. As the fervent prayers of Saints avail so much for the needy, you listened to my solemn supplication and it has yielded resounding joy for The Gunners.
So long they faced this mountain and failed to surmount it. So long they came close only to bottle it. So long have they been ridiculed by their many enemies, and yet they failed to overcome. So long have they been encumbered, yet they never give up. Thank you, Lord for rewarding Arsenal for their resilience.
O Lord, you are Father to the fatherless and Helper of the helpless. It’s your mighty hand of help that came to rescue Arsenal in this their moment of need. You gave them uncommon favour to excel while their enemies faltered. You gave them mercy and lifted them high. Thank you, Lord.
As The Gunners go for their final match of the season, a London derby with Crystal Palace, they already have the title in their grip, because you made them stand strong on hind limbs. You made their players more impactful than their opponents and sharper than their rivals.
We know the battle is not for the swift nor for the wise or powerful, but for whom God shows mercy. You showed Arsenal mercy for the sake of their many loyal fans who stuck with them through 22 years of barrenness. You showed them mercy for the sake of their owners who have kept faith with the gaffer, Mikel Arteta.
As was in the days of Arsene Wenger, when the buffs and egg heads at Arsenal stayed very patient, while ‘The Professor’ preferred saving money for the club rather than join the maddening crowd on a spending spree during each transfer window, they again put their trust in a noble tactician over a very long period.
While Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and others keep sacking their coaches one by the dozen, Arsenal have retained Arteta through think and thin. Thank you, Lord for your mercy. You rewarded the club’s owners for their love, faith and trust. You helped them prove that continuity is better than a sacking spree. Thank you, Lord.
You listened to my supplication for the sake of our Nigerian-born bothers at Arsenal – Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. Because of them, you made it the year of sweet tidings at Emirates Stadium.
Thank you, Lord. You made it happen for the sake of Arsenal’s African icons – Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor, Kolo Toure et al. Because of them, you made it the year when their first love broke the yoke.
Yes, Lord, I have many reasons to thank you for this miracle. Even Crystal Palace are thanking you, because you helped them get gains of prestige, finance and emotions that their former player (Eberechi Eze) has won the EPL title in his first season at Arsenal.
O Lord, thank you for how you discomfitured Manchester City against Bournemouth. You put a clog in their wheels with heavy dust as you did to the Egyptians at The Red Sea. You made the Cityzens become weary as they ran, you made them walk and stumble, their sight became clouded with double vision, and they lost the fight when it mattered most. They became like the rich man who was satisfied with what he had already accumulated, and he no longer had a thirst for more.
Yes, Lord, you filled Pep Guardiola with profound understanding that victory for his former assistant is victory for him. You have given Pep self-satisfaction in seeing how the ‘boy’ he trained to become a man can equally achieve great things like him. Pep now gleefully remembers that Jesus prayed for His disciples to do greater works than Him.
Another part of success for Pep is that he allowed his ‘brother’ from the same country get at least one cup while he already has two to cherish this season and many others before now. This is an act of benevolence from Pep that will be rewarded with bountiful blessings from heaven.
I thank you, Lord, that even if Arsenal won’t beat PSG next Saturday, you allowed them win the EPL and all their fans are singing Halleluyah to your holy name. They now have a profound testimony for many years to come. We will all remember that it was like a dream when God turned around the captivity of Arsenal – even many men among the heathen know that God has done a great thing for The Gunners, and that’s why they are glad.
For all these and many more you have done for Arsenal and me, I say thank you in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
