My dear friends
Those of you who do not speak isiZulu please ask someone who
does to read you this sentence,
"Umanxeb' angamanxiw' ebuhleni."
Beautiful poetry!
The other Sunday I was visited by Innocent Shabalala, a
friend from Pietermaritzburg. As we conversed we got onto the topic of trials and
temptations. Innocent then testified briefly about the difficult path that he has gone
recently. It was clear that the devil wanted to floor him and then gloat over him. In His
grace the Lord helped him to pull through.
My response to Innocent was appreciation of how he had faced
his enemy and had not fled. So whatever wounds he sustained were in front, not at the
back. The two young people who were with us in the room at that time read my comment but
they obviously did not understand its background.
We are told that King Shaka admired and rewarded bravery
generously but he had no time for cowards. When his men came back from battle an
inspection of their wounds would be made. Wounds in the front part of the body meant the
warrior had fought ferociously with the enemy whereas wounds at the back were understood
to have been sustained during flight from the enemy. For Shaka, those with back wounds
were food for 'his birds' - the vultures.
As I pondered I seemed to remember a sentence from a
prominent Zulu warrior's praises,
"Umanxeb' angamanxiw' ebuhleni."
That was a reference to the man's many scars on his face
from wounds that he sustained in a fierce battle. It is noteworthy that the poet used
'ubuhle' (beauty) instead of 'ubuso' (face). This is an emphasis of the fact that the
scars robbed the warrior of his handsomeness, but even that was to his praise.
As a young Christian I was impressed by four old people in
our local Chibini congregation: Pastor Magubane, his dear wife and the two Mrs Makhobas.
Their legs were already warbley and their voices croaky but their wrinkled faces testified
of battles won for the Lord.
Looking back I realise how important the testimonies of
these old saints was to us young ones. The spiritual journey might seem long and difficult
but with Christ we are able to go through till we disappear beyond the sunset - scars and
all.
The first time I heard the song 'Abangani bami' was in 1974
at Upper Nseleni, near Empangeni. It is as if I can still see the young woman as she sang
in a moving way,
"Abangani bami sebekhuluma ngami.
Izihlobo zami sezikhuluma ngami.
Bafun' ukuyikhipha lent' engene kimi.
Sengithi hhayi salani kahle."
(My friends are consulting about me.
My relatives are consulting about me.
They want to get out what has gotten into me.
I say goodbye to them)
That young lady's conversion had ruffled feathers amongst
family and friends. They acknowledged that something new had gone into her and they were
determined to get rid of it. In that struggle she decided that she would rather part from
her family and friends than lose her Saviour. I was deeply moved by that young warrior.
Some people pay a heavy price for following Christ. I had
the privilege of meeting Dr Richard Wurmbrand, one of those who suffered cruel persecution
under the atheistic regime of Nicolae Caeusescu. Dr Wurmbrand bore scars from years of
torture.
A brother once spoke about the 'see-you-on-the-other-side'
Christians. He then explained that there are times in our earthly pilgrimage when our path
goes through thorn-bushes. Some Christians then look for detours and tell their fellow
pilgrims that they will be meeting them on the other side of the thorn-bush. Those who go
through the difficult patch emerge on the other side with bleeding wounds. Who of the two
groups are true followers of their Master?
Some of Radio Khwezi's Masibumbane Listeners' Club members
have interesting nicknames. In fact, some are just too funny. Recently however I took note
of two members of a family who announced themselves as "Forward ever" and
"Backward never". I thought they were pretty challenging names, showing the
resolve to press on, no matter what.
Many of us have sung with all our hearts,
"When I remember what the Lord has done
I'll never turn back any more.
No. No. No. No. No
I'll never turn back any more."
Reading through Paul's story and being confronted with the
violence he was often subjected to can be very taxing on one's nerves.
"Five times I received from the Jews
the forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I
spent a night and a day in the open sea,
I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from
bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,
in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers." (2
Corinthians 11:24-26)
As Paul comes towards the end of his life he announces
victoriously,
"I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will award to me on that day." (2 Timothy 4:7)
Excuse me, but at this point I cannot help imagining
"Umanxeb' angamanxiw' ebuhleni" and other warriors singing a victory song as
they approach the king's palace. The king is waiting for them, his cattle are ready to
award to those who excelled in combat. The men do a 'giya dance' and the women ululate.
All this pales into insignificance when I look up and see
the heavenly victory procession, imperishable crowns, the King of kings on His throne and
His everlasting kingdom.
The King of kings. He is the ultimate "Umanxeb'
angamanxiw' ebuhleni." At Golgatha he fought the fiercest of battles for the
salvation of mankind. Terrible wounds were inflicted on Him, He was robbed of His beauty,
yet He emerged with the greatest of victories.
"But he was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace
was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Therefore I will give him a portion among
the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life
unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:5,12)
Have a blessed week further.
Pressing on!
In His love
Fano Sibisi
