ACJN Weekly Journal
By Lekan Otufodunrin, Lagos, Nigeria
“Forth in Thy name, O Lord, I go,
My daily labor to pursue;
Thee, only Thee, resolved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.”
— Charles Wesley
The above lines are from the hymn “Forth in Thy Name I Go,” published in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1749) by Charles Wesley, originally titled “Before Work.”
Recognising the significance of daily work for Christians, Charles Wesley—according to Hymnary.org—wrote hymns not only for Sunday worship but also for everyday life and labour.
The text of the five-stanza hymn reflects Wesley’s understanding of work:
We are to do our work in the name of the Lord (stanza 1).
God calls us to our work in obedience to His will (stanza 2).
We may offer all our work to God (stanza 3).
As we journey from this life to glory, we should view our work as part of the coming of God’s kingdom (stanza 4).
We are to gratefully use all God’s gifts for His glory (stanza 5).
As we begin the new year, we must daily commit our work in the media and all other endeavours to God and declare, as in Psalm 71:16, that we are going “forth in the strength of the Lord.”
We serve a God who knows the end from the beginning, and we must ask for His leading in order to succeed in the new year.
On our own according to John 15:5 , we can do nothing; but with God, we can do everything He has purposed for us in 2026.
Psalm 127:1 (KJV)
“Except the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keeps the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
We will not put our trust in our skills, expertise, experience, or connections alone. When we go forth in His name, we will always remember that we are His ambassadors in the media, occupying till He returns, and committed to doing only His will.
Our prayer, as echoed in the hymn, will always be:
“The task Thy wisdom hath assigned,
O let me cheerfully fulfil;
Preserve me from my calling’s snare,
And hide my simple heart above—
Above the thorns of choking care,
The gilded baits of worldly love.”
This article is a contribution to the Weekly Journal of the African Christian Journalists Network (ACJN), a Christian media platform that unites journalists and media practitioners across Africa to promote truth, integrity, and godly values in journalism and public communication. Please send us an email: acjninfo@gmail.com. Better still, you can visit our Facebook page.