LENT 40 day time – 37
Scripture reading: “By their fruits you will know them. Does one get grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?” MATTHEW 7:16
In the run-up to the elections in South Africa, Christians can be the embodiment of a politics of hope. This hope does not begin with faith in people. People are fallible, also collectively. Christian hope begins with the belief that God is there, that He is Immanuel, regardless of what the future may bring. To quote Bonhoeffer: ‘we live with God, in the world’. If God is there, those who want to serve Him will not be left behind. If Christ sacrificed everything to save this broken world, we cannot remain indifferent.
This means that we must be involved in the world, also in politics. God makes everything new, and although we cannot achieve that total renewal, the life of a believing global citizen here and now is a life with hope for that new beginning. Here and there God already brings about a beginning of that renewal, as a sign and foretaste of his ultimate salvation. And He calls us to participate in it.
Prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your presence in this world, for Your promise of renewal and hope. May we as Christians become actively and courageously involved in the political process, as a testimony of Your love and hope for the world. Give us the wisdom and the strength to faithfully follow our calling and live out our faith practically. Amen.
Reflection questions:
- How can we embody Christian hope in the political arena?
- What does it mean for us to believe that God is present, even in the midst of political challenges and struggles?
- In what ways can we as Christians be part of the renewal that God wants to bring about in this world