The Month of January has been the hardest month so far for Kenya. We have experienced innocent bloodshed due to the disputed General Election but the more I read the news, I can't help wondering why we are killing each other. We have pointed fingers, we have seen the 'speck on the other person's eye and have forgotten about the log in our own eyes'. It’s about time that we stop the revenge and the blame, and evaluate our individual lives. Let's look deep down within and address the real issue, the real problem that I have and for a minute consider the 'log in my own eye'.
Several weeks ago before the elections, my pastor called for an overnight prayer meeting and I remember reflecting and praying to God for a fair election. There were rumors of violence, I prayed for the peace of our nation too. And as we continue praying for our nation, let us all pray for:
Individual lives. As an individual, my motives have to be right before I can pray for the nation. Go before the Lord and ask Him to forgive you. The bible says in 1John that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive of all unrighteousness. Confess your sins before God ‘for all have sinned and fallen short of His glory’ and ask Him to ‘create in you a clean heart’. Oswald Chambers says, "We have to be placed into God and brought into agreement with Him before we can be broken bread in His hands. Stay right with God and you’ll find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children’. So, it will start with me first, I being right, having the right motive then used by God to stand in the gap for others.
Families: Charity begins at home. What is the foundation of our family, are we founded on the 'rock' or on 'the sinking sand'. If we are founded on the rock, we can withstand anything that comes our way but if on the sand, the slightest storm with shake us.
As families, let us teach our children the basic principles of loving one another and living at peace with our neighbors. The bible in Deut teaches us to teach the law, the commandments, to our children and our children's children. Solomon also in proverbs says, 'train a child in the way that he should grow, and when he is fully grown he will not depart from it'. I think the families have failed in teaching the basic principles, but, parents will teach these principles if, they were taught and if the basic foundation of the family is right. Pray for the marriages, pray that a husband and wife will honor the institution of marriage and keep their vows, and let us also pray for our children.
If it starts with the individual hiding the word of God in his/her heart, then the individual will develop the right relationship, marriages will be founded on the Rock that is Jesus Christ. Parents will take their children as a blessing from God and will learn to train them in the ways of the Lord. The parents will lay the right foundation, teaching their ‘children and their children’s children’ for generations to come the basic principles.
Churches: The church is the body of Christ and as Christians we are members of the same body. Paul says if one part of the body hurts the whole body hurts. Are we concerned about each other, are we preaching the gospel of peace as Paul says in Eph? Are we strengthening the feeble knees that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed, (Heb 12:12), or are we pushing/stepping on a brother/sister farther down? As members of the same body, let us encourage one another, when we see a brother/sister struggling, give a helping hand and ‘the world will be a better place for you and for me’.
Nation: We have quoted the verse, "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and heal their land”. God spoke these words to Solomon in 2Chron 7:14 after the dedication of the temple. So there’s a requirement for the individual, our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, lets offer/dedicate our lives to God as individuals, turn away from our wicked/evil ways, call on God and He will hear, forgive and heal Kenya. So it all comes back to you and me, are you willing to stand and be counted for the peace our nation. Are you going to live a righteous life, am I going to live a righteous life. By your own strength you will not make it but “with God all things are possible”.
Finally, several months ago, my pastor spoke a sermon about a wound. He said for a wound to heal, you have to take off the bandage that has been covering it, clean it out and then start the healing process. I will be honest to say that then the sermon did not make sense. But please take a mental walk with me if you can to the nearest clinic/hospital in your home town and find someone with a wound. He/she comes in to the hospital, tells a doctor he/she has a wound, the nurse takes off the bandages, examines, cleans, and then start the treating process. Depending on the how deep the wound is it might take awhile to heal and might require several visits to the doctor’s office. I tend to think there has been a wound in Kenya that has been exposed, let us pray for the healing of our nation. It will take you and me for that nation to heal.
Kenyans before we take sides, reflect on the words of our National Anthem. By the way do you know what the symbols our Flag represents?
Red: represents the struggle for freedom.
Green: represents Kenya 's agriculture and natural resources.
White: represents Unity and Peace.
Black, Red and White: shield symbolizes the defense of freedom.
Have a great week, and may we defend our Heritage.
Wambui-wa-Njoroge
