South Africa seems unable to
stop talking about this wonderful event. We continuously receive videos and
articles about it. The following was written about the It's Time Prayer Event
in Bloemfontein, South Africa by Amanda de Lange, a journalist, and translated
from Afrikaans by Henry Luyt.
Last week I attended the mooted
prayer meeting outside Bloemfontein as an ‘Angus Novice’ and, as a result, I
soon hugged people I didn’t even know.
In the camping chair amongst
the dust and tufts of grass I realized what this
was all about. Here we had a
million people, all of whom searched for something – redemption, hope, freedom,
God - something to hold on to. Anything that confirmed this was not the
end.
This was not about things
that were wrong in our country, nor about unbelievers, or the government and
the corruption, arrogance, and power obsession of those in control. This was
about the church – not the building with the tower and bell that rings on
Sundays. Not the auditoriums where large numbers of people get together to
worship and hopefully hear a life-changing message. People are the church. I am
the church. Every individual who claims they serve Jesus is a little church on
two legs.
Do you complain about the
church; then you actually complain about me. If you are a Christian and
complain about the church, then you complain about yourself. We are ambassadors
of the Kingdom of God. Our job is to love and to serve unconditionally and
without judgment. To encourage, to comfort, and to walk a second mile when
others are only prepared to walk one, to have compassion, to be a light in the
darkness, and to be the answer to those who say: “There is no God – look around
you, man, and show me where God is.”
What initially
seemed to be a jolly picnic, eventually changed to abasement.
With the
smells of farm in the air, we are addressed by someone who is a spiritual dad
to many South Africans. I have never heard Uncle Angus (as people affectionately
refer to him) preach. I only heard of his so-called chauvinistic statements of
which he is accused by his critics, but didn’t yet hear it from his mouth. I am
an Angus novice.
The men sat
hat in the hand and listen. He spoke without compromise.
“Get your
house in order! Here are people that wish to save the world, but their own
homes are in a state. You don’t talk to your wife, your children have taken to
the road, but you want to save the world Sir. I have a very strict word for you
from the Lord. Get your house in order before you try and help others.” He took
us on about pornography, alcoholism, addiction, and adultery – the one sin on
top of the other, whilst the men sat and listened hat in the hand.
After a while
I didn’t hear what he said anymore, for I was too busy to think about my own
sins – stubbornness. I have always struggled with it. When I was small my dad
always told me I haven’t got ears. I was ashamed of my unbelief and lack of
trust.
Then we
kneeled, the entire million, inclusive of Uncle Angus, right there in the dust.
We need to confess our sins, Uncle Angus told us. We cannot expect God to
answer our prayers whilst our lives are full of sin and unbelief. We confessed
our weaknesses and sin. Tears flowed – it was quite an emotional business. How
can it be different – where have you ever heard of love without emotions.
Whenever the Bible spoke of God approaching man, emotions were involved – they
cried and they rejoiced, they felt scared and they found peace. They shook and
could not stand. They repented and were forgiven. Why would it be different
now? But I get distracted. We prayed for people without hope.
There in the
dusty Free State, with the sun that burned every remaining sin out of us, so to
speak, we began to rejoice because Uncle Angus reminded us that Jesus has a bad
memory. If you repent and ask forgiveness, He forgets your trespasses. So we
rejoiced for we knew God is good. We also rejoiced for we were actually a
joyful lot.
We hugged
people we don’t even know and told them we love them. We took their hands and
cried with them about relationships that weren’t what they should be. We prayed
for those that suffer with anxiety and depression, for the unemployed, for the
sick and those that didn’t have any hope left. We prayed for our beautiful
country and her people and that the government will seek righteousness and
serve the country with integrity. We prayed against violence and corruption,
murder and rape.
After each
topic a loud amen rose to the heavens. It was like the Mexican wave – the sound
rolled and rolled and rolled. It rolled over you and past you, right to the end
where it drops in the hay. It gave you cold shivers. It caused you to jump up
and down and clap your hands. It let your face turn heavenwards in the hot sun
so you can drink it in. Amen! Amen! Amen!
Your will be
done Lord and not ours!
A nation can
be born in one day.
As noisy as a
million people can be, as quiet they can be. If you could hear a pin drop in
the dust, it would have echoed across the plains.
In spite of
it having been as windless day, a blast suddenly appeared. It whirled among us,
went from heart to heart. With a whisper it touched us.
The words
bounced around inside of me: Go tell them I love them as they are, with their
sin. Tell them I do not hate them. Tell them how much I long for them. Go and
be my hands, my feet, my love and my light.
It’s time
church, for a nation can be born in one day - she can be brought into this
world in a moment. (Isaiah 66:8).
No comments:
Post a Comment