As you pray -14 October 2007

We are thankful for the message of life that went out on the International Life Chain Day last Sunday. Bruno Hlongwane and others have testified of a blessed day in Durban.

Uncle Joe Newlands and CFT-Southern KwaZulu-Natal arranged for a wonderful pro-life march in Kokstad yesterday. The procession was led by a float that provided a visual illustration of the brutality of the abortion procedure. May the message of life triumph over the culture of death.

Today we rejoice with the families and friends of Innocent Mabuyakhulu and Jabu Khoza as the couple tie the knot at KwaSizabantu. We wish them God's blessing.

South African matriculants have just started with their final examinations. Most schools were adversely affected by the month long strike by teachers and other public servants. It is disturbing to see increasing incidents of suicides by students who do not make it. Let us pray that the Lord's light will pierce the darkness of this world.

We are thinking of Gert and Delia de Vries as they prepare to move to KwaSizabantu's Malelane Centre in Mpumalanga to join the ministry there.

Our prayers accompany Onkel Erlo and Onkel Friedel as they fly over to Russia and Germany.

Dr Peet and Andra Botha request prayers for their trip to the USA this week.

The Eurochor came together for a rehearsal in Bilten, Switzerland, this weekend as part of their final preparations for the South Africa tour towards the end of October. We await them eagerly and pray that the Lord will glorify Himself in and through them.

A message that Dorothea Killus on Wednesday 3 October alerting me to the German Reunification Day warmed my heart. For me the fall of the Berlin Wall, the disappearance of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Germany count amongst the miracles of our lifetime. As friends of the German people we shared in their pain during those difficult years and when freedom came their joy was our joy. We joined them when they sang 'Nun danket alle Gott' - Now thank we all our God.

'Rubbish'

One of the most listened to voices in South Africa and beyond is that of the outspoken Archbishop Desmond Tutu. As you can imagine the  Nobel Peace Prize laureate has admirers as well as critics.

His Grace is no stranger to controversy. Once in defence of his utterances he fought back by saying, "Desmond Tutu speaks for Desmond Tutu."

On Wednesday I could not but take note of a news item that reported on Archbishop Desmond Tutu's warning that heaven is not only for Christians. The one paragraph that got me thinking was:

"Most of us think God is a Christian, but if you think that God is going to tell the Dalai Lama 'you're a good person, but sorry you're not a Christian' then (I say) rubbish."

Of course, as we would say in our democratic South Africa, the archbishop is entitled to his opinion but is that the final word on the matter? Definitely not.

The crunch question is who has the ultimate authority to pronounce the last verdict on every matter that concern us worldlings? Who will say the final 'Rubbish?' The obvious answer is that it will not be His Grace but His Majesty - the King of kings and Lord of lords.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." Matthew 25:31-32)

Have a blessed weekend.
 
Pressing on!
 
In His love
 
Fano Sibisi