It all belongs to God
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Rom 11:36)
In this special month, the Jews will observe the third feast of compulsory pilgrimage – Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Ingathering) which will end on 23rd October; in this feast, the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is celebrated, especially the grace of God that sustained them while they dwelt in tents during the wanderings in the Sinai desert. In the same spirit as a nation, Uganda celebrates her 54th independence anniversary today
09th October. It is good to remember that the God who uprooted the Israelites from their Egyptian slavery and made them an independent nation is the same God that formed Uganda out of the former British Protectorate. More important to remember is that God does all this for a purpose: He is the God of people and the God of nations too. That is what the psalmist means in part when he writes, ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it’ (Ps 24:1).
How do you observe such a season? As Ugandans gather in Luuka District for a national assembly to commemorate Independence Day, many of us in churches are offering special prayers for the nation; in fact many of us have spent a season in prayer with fasting – for the families in our country. But do all celebrants and officials recognize that it is God to whom our nation belongs, and everything in it? Then they would not abuse and embezzle for selfish gain without impunity; then public services would not be delayed by lengthy processes that have been necessitated by thieves and dishonesty; then they would not lie lazy and just look on at bare land in great climate and claim to be poor! As a nation, we need to call upon the LORD to awaken us into responding to the knowledge that it all belongs to Him, and we are simply stewards.
As the Chapel community, the Kakumba Home Coming being organized will be a partial re-enactment of the age-old worship pilgrimages – to remember God’s faithfulness and to celebrate our journey, even as we look ahead with hope. I have seen pictures of the little Chapel that has greatly expanded; I saw pictures of little girls and boys that are now married men with children; we also remember some youth falling from grace and rising from grass – all this is the grace of God worth celebrating in a big way. Pastors and Council Members of various gifts have made their contributions to this journey in their seasons; what a journey!
The bigger journey – these ‘wanderings’ in the world (not my home) will culminate in the ultimate feast, the Feast of Ingathering when Jesus returns to usher his own to the ultimate Promised Land of eternal life.
God bless you.