the home of national hero Cde Edgar Tekere in Mutare was very unfortunate. It also does not have any defense even in our African culture.
If the Lord Jesus could attend Lazarus’ funeral four days after his burial (although it was to God’s glory), why would Mr Tsvangirai be barred from paying his condolences to the Tekere family, and the nation at large?
Why did mourners forget that in March 2009, President Mugabe as head of State and Government together with some Zanu-PF officials, paid condolences to Mr Tsvangirai, after the passing on of his wife? During the church service, the President gave a lengthy speech to comfort the bereaved family and the nation. When the family held a memorial service for Mrs Susan Tsvangirai, the President attended the event, and he told Mr Tsvangirai, relatives, friends and MDC-T supporters present that even if he had not been invited, he would still have attended because it is the proper thing to do. He knows bereavement personally.
Dignity and respect are the hallmarks of a cultured people, and it is during incidents like illness and/or death that we can lose them or glorify the Lord’s name.
One of my spiritual mentors always tells me that when we encounter issues of such a nature, the best way to deal with it is to ask: What would Jesus have done or said?
Would He have taken part? And, if you don’t know, it’s better to keep quiet, than lose your integrity through loose talk.
This sobers me a lot, because sometimes it is easy to follow the wind, even if it can lead to your demise.
But, this is not a political treatise. The Word of God in Romans 12:15-17 is very clear about how we should treat bereavement for it admonishes, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another . . . Repay no evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.” (NKJV)
It is in this context that I refer readers to an article that I read on an Internet website – <http://www.desiringgod.org/> titled – “Faith: The link between God’s love for us and ours for others”. For, love conquers all.
It reads in part: “What is the link between God’s love for us and our love for others? Christ’s love for us! The cost of Christ’s love was infinite: it cost the suffering and death of the Son of God.
“The strength of His love was so great that he overcame the obstacle to it in our own ungodliness and unworthiness.
“The benefits of His love are as great as everything God owns in the universe. Nothing will separate us from Him. And, nothing good will be kept from us by Him. We are His heirs. And his love was free.
“Nobody took his life from Him. He laid it down of his own accord. He loves his people – those who will have this love as their treasure – with a love that cannot be greater than it is. If you will receive it as your treasure and cherish it, Christ loves you more than you can comprehend.
“And yet, it has been our goal to comprehend it in part. And we have been encouraged to pursue this because of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:17-19: (May you be) rooted and grounded in love, (and thus) be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.
“So, he prays for us – and we are praying – that by sending our roots down into the depths of the love of Christ, we may comprehend it. Not by standing aside and merely observing it, but by rooting our lives in it. Drinking it up! Savouring it! Depending on it! Taking some risks on the basis of it . . .”
Bereavement though agonising is supposed to be a unifier, and should not give room for squabbles and divisions, for in Christ we are one body, but many parts. The way we invest in our deaths means that we would want to have the large crowds that were at Lazarus’ funeral, including the Lord Jesus, four days later. And, as King Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven; a time to be born; and a time to die”. (NKJV) But, Christ conquered death on the cross, and we should all celebrate Cde Tekere’s passing on, and not antagonise each other.
Forthcoming events
Event: 10th Anniversary – Christian Light Ministries International
Date: June 10 – 11
Venue: No 236, Cnr Churchill/Pinnar Rd, Waterfalls
Theme: Building pillars, structures and walls
Time: 10am – 6pm
Hosts: Apostle Peter Zhangazha
Contact: 0772344153
***
Event: Young Adults Seminar – One Way Ministries
Date: June 11
Time: 1-4pm
Venue: One Way Ministries main church, Mabelreign
Speaker: Pastor Langton Gatsi
Contact: 0772223884
***
Event: Tabernacle of Grace Revival Conference
Date: June 10-11
Time: 4pm
Venue: Aquatic Complex, Zengeza 4, Chitungwiza
Theme: The role of man according to God
Speakers: Apostle B Java and Prophet Passion
Contact: 0775444969/0774206904/0773168474
***
Event: Ladies Conference – AFM Harare West Province
Dates: June 16-19
Venue: Rajiv Ghandi Hall, Harare Showgrounds
Theme: Living righteous in an ungodly world (Kururama munyika yakaipa) (Genesis 6: 6-8)
Contact: 04-309090/0773372863/0772266040
***
Event: Men of Substance Meeting
Date: June 11
Time: 2-4:30pm
Venue: 20 R Mugabe/Harare St
Theme: The role of man according to God
Host: Redemption Ministries International (Apostle Tose Ndebele)
Contact: 0774165511/0712407908
***
Event: Methodist Church in Zimbabwe – Harare East: Musical Gala
Date: June 18
Time: 11am – 6pm
Venue: Aquatic Complex, Zengeza 4, Chitungwiza
Main attractions: Pastor Charles Charamba and Mai Charamba; Bethany Pasinawako and Sebastian Magacha
Contact: 0772308521 (Bishop Muzenda)
***
Event: Six Days of Breaking Territorial Spirits
Dates: June 14-19
Venue: The Kingdom Church, WCCC, 2nd Floor, Century House East, Nelson Mandela
Speaker: Bishop Climate Irungu
Contact: 0733801799/0776153356
***
Event: Marriage Seminar
Dates: June 16-18
Time: 5:30-7:30pm; 8am-4pm
Venue: His Presence Ministries International, L Takawira/K Nkrumah
Speakers: Apostle Charles and Pastor Petunia Chiriseri
Contact: 0772100398
***
Event: Conference on Dealing with Today’s Issues
Date: June 25
Time: 1-5pm
Facilitator: Rev C Chidimuro
Venue: Hatfield Worship Centre (Cnr Elgin and Kilwinning Rds, Hatfield)
Contact: 0773296818/0772674850;
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21, NKJV); “Jesus wept”. (John 11: 35) (NIV)
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