Religion

Is God playing the ‘hypocrite’ on Malawians?

 

It is Thursday around 11am and people of all walks of life are converging on Ephangweni CCAP Church prayerhouse.

They have not come here for the usual praise and worship.

Rather, they are here to intercede for the soul of the departed Chadina Jere—the first-born son of Inkosi Mzukuzuku Jere of Mzimba.

Chadina was mercilessly killed by a criminal gang in South Africa. He was 40 at the time of his death.

He is certainly not the first Malawian, or foreigner, to lose life to ruthless criminals in the rainbow nation. Memories are still fresh of how dozens of foreigners lost their lives for merely seeking job opportunities in this country.

Tearful scenes during Chadina’s burial
Tearful scenes during Chadina’s burial

Reverend Bannet Magawa Zimba, in his sermon, emphasised that the zeal to alleviate the family’s socio-economic hardships is what led Chadina to an early grave.

Said Zimba: “He wouldn’t have gone to a foreign land had Malawi been economically vibrant with employment opportunities for all, including the poor and underprivileged.”

Malawi is generally a peaceful nation. It is on this premise that some people have christened it as a “God-fearing nation”.

As mourners lower Chadina’s coffin into the grave, his mother—Catherine Zimba—and widow Lucy Saka sit by the graveside wailing.

Zimba grumblingly accuses God: “Why did you, God, allow this to happen to my son? Why have you chosen to enormously reward South Africans who are killing foreigners for merely seeking fortune in their land?”

The widow, on her part, attempts to ask another mind-boggling question in her pain of losing a husband: “Why doesn’t God reward us with wealth for fearing Him, so that our husbands and relatives do not have to go abroad to alleviate our poverty?”

This question is similar to its opposite: “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”

Both questions refer to what seems to be the perplexing injustice we witness in our daily life. Psalm 73 probably provides the answer to the same questions that also tormented the psalmist.

The writer of this psalm was a man named Asaph, a leader of one of the temple choirs. Obviously, he was not a wealthy man, but rather one who had dedicated his life to serving God (1 Chronicles 25).

But, like us, he had experienced some difficulties and questioned the injustice of it all. He watched some evil people around him living by their own rules, enjoying all the wealth and pleasures of the world and collecting riches. He complains: “They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills” (Psalm 73: 4 – 5).

Asaph was looking at these people who didn’t have problems. They could pay their bills. They had plenty to eat and plenty of luxuries. But poor Asaph was stuck with directing the choir and trying to live godly. And to make things worse, his choice to serve God did not seem to be rewarding him.

He began to envy these people and even to question God as to why He would allow such a thing to happen!

Principal Mjeruzge Nyirenda of the Mzimba Chipangano Church links the sufferings Malawians go through to the will of God.

Nyirenda says as God-fearing people, Malawians are bound to suffer various forms of injustice, scorn and sometimes killings because they have chosen to live by the will of the Creator.

“Remember, for those who seek God the way to eternity is through suffering and sacrifice. The good are left to suffer for it makes them humble and spiritually learned; both are essential elements for divine qualification,” he says.

Retired St Theresa Parish Council chairperson Paul Zimba says while suffering brings sorrow, it also brings wisdom, enlightenment and joy over our lives, and our spiritual resilience.

Zimba says in the greatest of ironies, those who suffer learn to find everlasting happiness in their sacrifice, and repentance in their suffering.

He recommends that Christians need to constantly ask themselves how often they find themselves relating to Asaph.

“How often do you dedicate your lives to serving God than you witness the wicked, ungodly people around get new possessions, luxurious homes, promotions, and beautiful clothes, while you struggle financially?

“The answer lies in the rest of the psalm. Asaph envied these evil people until he realised one important thing,” he explains.

The chapter in question says when he entered the sanctuary of God, Asaph fully understood their final destiny.

As Principal Mjeruzge Nyirenda sums up the issue, “those who have temporary riches on earth are in reality spiritual beggars because they do not have true riches—eternal life”. n

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