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by Graham Mol

It’s almost too much to take in, almost surreal. As I sit here at my computer looking at the images and videos of the violent protests and looting, as I see the destruction. It feels like I am in a different nation, even on a different planet. I am grateful that we have not experienced the looting in our area… yet. I could stop reading the news articles, stop looking at the photos and videos, but even then I see the WhatsApp’s and social media posts of friends, family and the community. There is no getting away from what is happening and I don’t think we should bury our heads in the sand anyway. If you are able to, I encourage you to look at the photos, watch the videos, watch and weep, look and pray. Allow the reality of the situation to motivate you to plead before God for our nation.

We cannot, we must not be apathetic. Yes there are the humorous posts and jokes – humour is often how we as people try to deal with things that are shocking, painful and unpleasant. But let us not settle for mere coping mechanisms. Let our hearts break over the suffering, over the violence and anger, over the hardening of people’s hearts.

“I am broken by the brokenness of my dear people,” (Jeremiah 8:21 CSB)

Let us bring our tears before the Lord. Let us weep as Jesus wept. Let us mourn for He will comfort us (Matthew 5:4). We need to feel, we need to struggle with what we see so that it will not be forgotten. There is much pain and brokenness in our nation. Times like these are a stark reminder of that fact. Let us therefore not brush past, trying to forget and move on with our lives.

Rather let this change us. Let this make us pray all the more and allow those prayers to shape us into agents of righteousness. May we be motivated to be the light of the world we are called to be. We may not have the power to stop the riots. We may not have the resources to alleviate the desperate poverty. But we can make a difference, and more than we think because we have the Lord “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20).

Let us take a stand for we know that the enemy is not flesh and blood. It’s not the people that we see looting and breaking and burning. No, our fight is “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” (Ephesians 6:12). We fight against the evil that has gripped men’s hearts, we fight against the greed and selfishness. We fight against the lies.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power,” (Ephesians 6:10 CSB).

Weep but don’t tremble. Mourn but do not fear. We are not alone in this fight. God is with us, He is our strength and salvation. He has overcome and the gates of hell cannot prevail against His kingdom.

Be resolute prayer warriors. Pray for SA.

God Bless

Graham

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Barbara

    Great message of hope and courage.
    God bless you and keep your family safe.
    Barbara Kalima-Phiri.

  2. Mary Smith

    Thank you for this great message of comfort and direction as we face these troublesome times. It is so easy to fall into fear and a feeling of helplessness as we see these things, But God is still in control and He is mighty to save.

  3. John Doyle

    Very precious message and very relevant Ps. Graham. God bless you. ❤️ John and Barbara

  4. Priscilla Hlabangana

    Thank you Graeme for encouraging us to pray
    I’ll add Fast and Pray and add some Shigionoth Praise to the One who is in control
    The Lord says in Jer 32:27
    I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

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