Pray for peace, respect and restoration of God’s order

MORE than a century ago, in 1897, Enoch Sontonga, a Xhosa clergyman at a Methodist mission school near Johannesburg, penned the hymn that is now the great anthem of the continent, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (God bless Africa).

The faithful continue to repeat these words regularly, and couple it with a prayer for peace.

Those who do not understand the ineffable thoroughness of God, wonder why this continent is still in a constant stew of misgovernment and mayhem, to say the least.

We see the knots of life from our perspective but as someone once said, the tapestry that is being woven from above is flawlessly perfect and beautiful. Knowing this, the faithful, in spirit and truth, do not give up. But, should we not seek to be more logical in our prayers for Africa.

God is the Almighty God of good order. He brought and brings order out of chaos. From our perspective it seems to take an interminably long time in some circumstances!

At this time of turmoil and uncertainty for many, we may be wiser to pray the prayer to Bless Africa, differently: God give us peace By raising up godly leaders So that you may bless Our land And all Africa To be Emissaries of peace To all the world. We, in our absence of humility, but rampant with arrogance, forever imagine the initiatives are entirely our own.

Rather than understanding that we can be instruments through our choices, in obedient fulfilment of the Great Initiative intended: godly love, joy and peace.

It is sobering to realise how much depends on our given freedom to choose – the blessings of God or otherwise – in this grace space still available to us in our nation.

Without peace and mutual respect there is only suffering and lack.

Lack of self worth, lack of sustenance and obviously ongoing lack of good order and decency. Lack of one sort or another for all are the instruments of destruction.

At such a time we should surely pray for peace and God’s order in our land. — Denise Y Fielding, Bonza Bay