‘But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings…”’ “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ… Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (Acts 9:15, 1Cor 4:1-2)
You are warmly welcome! There are many changes around us: guidance on access to the University for motorists will soon come clearly, increased security checks, heightened cautiousness in response to the Ebola threats, and the advent of a book point at the Chapel, that I hope will be a busy one. Keep alert for any guidance and respond accordingly.
As we conclude our Revival Week, I believe many people have benefited from the activities, and the community will be blessed as a result of the prayers and the teachings we enjoyed. The Kingdom business is not going to another level – the reason for the revival: we’re revived for mission! We started with paying attention to the need for consecration – repentance and putting away every disobedience and ridding ourselves of any sin; reading Joshua 10 and Revelation 2, we saw that just like the sin of one man can bring fatal defeat and disaster upon God’s people, the intercession of a few people can bring the salvation and victory for God’s people, if they listen to God’s instructions and repent. We celebrated the glorious God who lives in the high and holy place, yet also comes down to the contrite and lowly in spirit to revive us.
Why revival, and what next? We were stirred up to remember our callings as we read 1Cor 4. Paul and the apostles are servants of Christ, and so are we when we’ve been revived. Each one of us has an assignment to carry out in advancing the Kingdom of God. Remember Paul’s turning point (Acts 9): his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus was followed by days of prayer and fasting, after which Ananias came hesitantly to minister to and commission him – at least for the first phase of his ministry journey. See how God pushed Ananias: “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings”. Paul was revived for mission, and, as John MacArthur notes, there was perfect continuity between Paul’s salvation and his service. Later we find that the persecutor became the persecuted, but he never turns back because in the service of the Lord, he is fulfilled and content; and he is assured of an eternal destiny of everlasting joy and peace.
Will you faithfully carry out your assignment as a servant of Christ? We will be reaching out in Lecture Rooms, Hostels and Halls, and continuing with training ministers, as well as mobilizing for the Kisoro mission in May. These activities need people, as well as financial resources; we also continue to grow our infrastructure for sustainable ministry. Take up your assignment and do it faithfully.
God bless you as you serve.
Rev. Eng. Dr. Emmanuel Mwesigwa - CHAPLAIN