The African Forum on Religion and Government (AFReG) calls on all Christians to increase our prayers as a faith community dialoguing on “African Identity, Dignity and Justice in the 21st Century.” This Tuesday, October 6, 2020, our theme is “Hope.”
Hope is the desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it.
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him “So shall your offspring be.” Romans 4:18
God’s intentions towards each one of us are good and He desires to give us hope even in the midst of difficulty.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
God will give us hope for our lives when we trust in Him.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
God will always give hope and blessings to those who trust in Him.
Blessed is the people of whom this is true, blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15
What gave the children of Israel hope in a situation where they were enslaved for over 400 years, where their young boys were being murdered at birth, where they built the wealth of others through their hard labor and death and where they were treated as less than human? They were separated from the rest of society and could not enjoy the full benefits they worked so hard to provide for the nation.
The nation kept them under bondage, lest they rebelled and ruled over them. They ruled over them with an iron hand, always ensuring they had the upper hand so that they would be slaves for life. They had hope because of God.
How could a young man survive the heartache and the pain of having been put into a pit by his own brothers and sold as a slave to a foreign land? Even more than that he ends up into prison not knowing when he would be freed and is separated from his family for several years. Joseph had hope because of the God he served. He believed in Him and trusted in His word.
Where did he get the ability to forgive those who caused him so much pain and for him to be enslaved and instead of cursing them he blessed them when he became second in command of Egypt? It was God.
Hope becomes a Reality for Africa
As we see with the children of Israel and Joseph there came the time where hope became a reality.
We too must recognize the time for our hope to become a reality. Nations have played different roles at various stages of history. As the people of God who understand seasons, let us not miss the opportunity for the Church to lead the way in facilitating Africa and Africans to rise up and take hold of our destiny. If there was ever a time for this to happen it is now.
2015 -2024 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Decade for the People of African descent. Many have come to know the Lord in Africa and Africa is one of the places you find the most committed Christians. With its exploding population, it is said that by 2050 four out of every 10 Christians in the world will live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Africa and its Diaspora are leading and starting churches all over the world. In addition to all of this, worldwide attention has been given to the racial injustices that persons of African descent have suffered over these many years and actions are being taken to address them. We also see African leaders becoming more united.
Eternal Hope
The God we serve not only gives hope to nations but also to individuals. He not only gives hope for this life, but also for the one to come. For we all die, even if we live in the most prosperous country on earth. The hope He gives to each one of us who trusts in Him is eternal life. We have the confident assurance that the hope God gives is transcend through the different circumstances of this life and forever. We eagerly wait for His appearing.
Prayer
Lord God, we pray that the Church will play a prophetic role in this season in order to make Africa become a prominent continent and one that is not always receiving, but one that is blessing others from the great resources you have endowed her with.
Lord God, we are thankful for those who speak of a New Africa and we pray that African leaders will rise up and make their destiny a reality like Moses and Joshua did for the people of Israel.
Thank you for the hope of eternal life in you through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.