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God of the Unexpected
Living Expectantly.
For many in the world Christmas in any year is not worth much in terms
of a
celebration. Right now we see images from Somalia of the renewed
fighting
and hear that Ethiopia and Eritrea have become engaged in that
senseless
conflict again. For the people of Darfur, it's just another day in
the
struggle to survive the Jangaweed, the deprivation of a refugee camp in
the
desert and a real sense of helplessness.
For the 500 million or so people who now live in urban slums there is
the
overcrowding, the filth and rubbish and the constant struggle for daily
bread and personal security. For the two-thirds of the world that lives
at
or below the basic minimum for life itself, the outlook is bleak
despite
global growth because so much of the new wealth that is being created
(in
historically record amounts) is simply going into the pockets of the
haves
in our world.
So if you woke up this morning to excited cries of children at the
presents
around a green tree in the living room, if you can look forward to
Christmas
lunch with friends and family, if you can do so in your own home,
surrounded
by your family, then you have a lot to thank God for because you are a
minority in the world in which we all live and work.
Implicit in this situation is the understanding that we have something
to
celebrate - if we can! If you are a Christian then you do have
something to
celebrate - no matter what your circumstances. When Christ was born
he came
into a world that was every bit as lousy as the one we live in today
- maybe
worse. 60 per cent of the total population of the Roman Empire -
pretty much
a global power at the time; were slaves; a tiny minority were rich and
privileged. Life was short and nasty for the great majority. The regime
was
as oppressive as any we have seen in recent centuries.
On top of that his parents were by no stretch of imagination wealthy or
even
middle class. They commanded no respect or privileges. Because of
Mary's
circumstances they were even ostracized by their own tight, religious
community. When the regime heard a rumor that a child of some
significance
was born, they killed every child of that age in the region and the two
newly weds and a tiny baby were subjected to a terrible journey across
the
desert to Egypt where they were forced to live for several years as
illegal
migrants in a squatter camp.
Yet this almost unseen event marked one of the most dramatic
interventions
by God in world history and within three short centuries, the Emperor
of the
most powerful regime in the world would bow down in worship at the
Christ
Childs feet along with millions of others who had become His followers.
In
December 0001, was there any reason for optimism that real change was
on its
way - absolutely not and even so, the world has had to learn how to
use the
gifts the Christ brought to the world so as to change their own and
others
lives.
We live in a tough place and if I am asked, quite frankly I cannot see
any
signs that real and dramatic change is on its way. We face another year
in
which our economy will shrink, life expectancies will continue to
decline
and the quality of life that remains will become steadily worse. I do
not
need to be a prophet to forecast that - it is simply a fact of life
in
Zimbabwe. I think I can also confidently predict that no one will come
to
our rescue, we are, as we always have been, alone in this struggle with
the
evil forces that govern and control our land.
But God is the master of the unexpected. He is also the master of time
in
all its respects. We have no control over either. Had we been in charge
we
would have 'fixed' this problem years ago. But that does not
necessarily
mean we would have done the right thing. God did not intervene in the
time
of the Romans by arriving with a flaming sword and massed armies - he
arrived in an unknown cow shed in an impoverished small town in
Palestine.
He did not liberate the slaves, or Rome, or for that matter Jerusalem,
what
he did was to give all mankind, whatever their circumstances, the tools
with
which they can change their lives and the world they live in,
themselves.
All who have found this narrow road; testify that this was the 'Right
Way'
to do this. His intervention did not rob us of our humanity or our
independence and control over our own lives - He simply gave us the
power
and the knowledge to transform our circumstances and lives as they are
into
something worth living for.
So it is, that those of us who choose to live in the tough places of
the
world and have our faith to sustain us, find that far from making
sacrifices
for what we are doing, we are rewarded with riches beyond our
imagination
for simply doing what God wants us to do and being where He tells us to
stay. I really cannot say we have suffered for our decision to stay and
fight it out in Zimbabwe, we have not. We have a close and united
family,
enough to do all that we want to do and we have security and a shared
vision
and destiny with the majority who live here. We can truly testify to
the
ageless truth of what Christ said when He was in Palestine 2000 years
ago.
'Seek first the Kingdom of God in your life, and ALL the things you
need and
want, will be given to you.'
So we enter 2007 and we do so not with trepidation but with expectation
that
we are again going to experience the provision of 'All things' as
we wait
for Him to do what is required to put our beloved country back on its
feet.
C S Lewis, one of the great intellectuals of the 20th Century wrote a
book
that he titled 'Surprised by Joy'; another English Don who also
found
Christianity late in life titled his biography 'Good God! It
Works'. Yes it
does - in all our circumstances and THAT is a good reason to
celebrate.
What of the Zanu PF? Well they certainly do not have anything to
celebrate.
They are in a shambles, cannot agree on a succession plan or even if
they
need one? The failing economy is like a smelly carcass tied around
their
neck - they cannot fix it or get rid of it and it spoils everything
they do
or say. The opposition - even if it is not being recognised yet, is
quietly
regrouping and unifying within the Broad Alliance that now embraces all
civil society organisations as well as 1500 churches and all organised
political opposition Parties.
And what of the people, the millions of ordinary Zimbabweans who still
live
and work here? Well for one thing, we have never been more united; race
and
ethnicity is really no longer an issue. We also have each other and a
future
to look forward to - those who have destroyed our economy and
shattered our
lives do not have either. They also have the unenviable task of
eventually
facing God - the author of the unexpected.
Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 25th December 2006
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