It's Christmas Time !!

It seems as though 2008 started just yesterday and today is Christmas Eve.. How amazing is that ?

 

We have had a very challenging year, we have witnessed some amzing things take place..

1. The great fluctuation in the price of oil on the world market..

2. The abuse of the will of the Zimbabwean peoples as their voice and vote is not only ignored by a leader who just will not relinquish his desire for power but also by regional leaders who are paralyzed into inactivity whilst a nation literally bleeds and dies.. 

3. The election of the first African American to the highest office in the USA..

4. The world financial crisis with major economies slipping into recession..

Yet we today declare as the angels did to the shepherds:

Luke 2:13-14

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

We choose to look beyond the many trials and hardships we face and place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ..  We also say to all our loved ones and friends A Blessed Christmas and a hope for a peaceful, prosperous NEW YEAR.. To our loved ones in Zimbabwe we stand separated by space BUT our hearts are firmly knit with yours and we join with you as we dare to believe God for HIS deliverance from the tyranny of failed leadership and its resultant consequences of economic collapse, disease, violence and instability..

MERRY CHRISTMAS - AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 2009 !!

On Purpose, For a Purpose..

I once asked a 20-yr old contemporary of mine his reason for patronising a particular nite-club in Bulawayo.  “Because it’s there” was his answer.    His being there it seemed, was random and without any real purpose, as was his reason for living. 

I am persuaded that we have been created by a God of purpose, on purpose for a purpose..  The biblical account of creation indicates a God of purpose. The various aspects of creation were purposefully created.. the sun for the day, the moon for the night etc. The creation of man is of particular interest in that God gave thought as to how man would be created and then fashioned this creation with His hands..    In this account we read that man is given a purpose..(Gen 1:26)

 Believing the Biblical account of creation is obviously a matter of personal choice, and regardless of our beliefs, it is fair to say that we have been created on purpose for a purpose..   In fact that’s why so many people ask vital life questions such as ‘Who am I and why am I here ?’ 

 Purpose Pointers:

 ·                     Purpose provides motivation for living, as well as satisfaction and contentment when fulfilled.   

·                     Purpose directs life choices.

·                     Purpose releases the powerful potential of resources resident within.

·                     Purpose is person specific.

·                     Purpose requires courage, and courage is attractive.

·                     Purpose neutralises apathy.

·                     Purpose is a victor not a victim paradigm.

 Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech in 1994 contained these words:

 “And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”

 May I be so bold as to suggest that we replace the word light with the word purpose ?  Fulfiling your purpose is the catalyst that frees others to the same.  Think of it, others can be liberated from apathy, hopelessness and aimless living simply by you doing and being who and what you were created for. In the words of some teens I know.. “That’s a bomb !”

 Men, I am told, will attempt the assembly or use of an appliance and only refer to the instruction manual as a last resort rather than a first port of call.  That is often so true of mankind.  We charge off into life attempting to assemble something of value and significance, not realising that the purpose of a creation is determined by the creator not the creation.  

 A man fulfilled His purpose that changed the world..  His name is Jesus.  May Christmas this year cause you to reflect on His fulfilling His purpose and thereby liberate you to fulfil yours.

 P.s.  You’ll only discover your TRUE purpose by asking your creator – God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Best By Date Has Passed'

One of the responsibilities of an Environmental Health Inspector is to check that products offered for sale in supermarkets are not being offered past their 'best by' date.. If any of these are found they are removed from the shelves and not allowed to be sold for human consumption..

In March 2008 the people of Zimbabwe voted and declared to the present govt that their 'best by' date had expired and that they were no longer fit for Zimbabwean consumption.. To my horror I watched as the nation was subjected to a protracted period of brutality and intimidation that made the horrors of apartheid pale by comparison..

To add insult to injury I watched as the two African bodies to which hopes had been pinned simply shrink from the glorious opportunity to step up and change the tide of violence, human rights violations and to promote the kind of democracy for which the war of liberation was fought.. The regime of Ian Smith denied many the optoin to vote BUT the subsequent regime has bettered that.. They gave the people the 'freedom' to vote and when that vote was not to their liking the current regime unleashed a wave of brutality to educate the people that the 'freedom' to vote was there as long as it was a vote for them.. This has got to be worse than being denied the opportunity to actually vote.. "Let them vote and then just ignore it anyway"..

The thing that defies understanding is the fact that the AU, SADC and PAP sent observer missions to observe the farce of a run off presidential election and when all three teams boldly declared the run off to have not been free and fair, not an expression of the will of the people, there was recognition by the AU and SADC of the very election that their observers said was null an void. So a team of observers were spent, thousands of US dollars spent to cover their time in Zimbabwe and when they come back with a report- those who sent them ignored the report.. Sound very much like the practice of the post Ian Smith ruling party style of leadership.. So the AU and SADC did pretty much the same thing that ZANU(PF) did. Ignored the 'vote', the 'voice' of the people !

Now we have a supposed peace negotiation to bring about peace in Zimbabwe.. Surprise surprise, the former president who lost the only credible election (March 29) is the one who is calling the shots and trying to dictate the conditions..

Allowing people to express themselves, to speak up and to be allowed to choose their leadership is not a western thing or an African thing.. It is a God given privilege.. When Jesus walked the earth you often hear him asking those who came to him " What do YOU want me to do?" In the year 2000 the people of Zimbabwe were asked what they wanted in a new constitution.. Despite giving their opinions and views they were presented something that did not even come close to what they 'ordered'.. What was the result - A public declaration of acceptance of the results of the referendum BUT a practical outbreak of violence that made it very clear that to do anything other than what the leadership of the nation wanted was totally unacceptable and would result in violent retribution and pain.. The reaction by the leadership in ZANU (PF) to the March 29 election results is nothing new - What is distressing is the realisation that by and large the current crop of leaders in Africa see no problem with what they did, and in fact by their silence have made a clear indication of their support of this 'African Style Democracy'...

The Old Testament tells of a King who was being opposed by many enemies - Jehosophat prayed and God told him to take his place and see the deliverance of God.. It appears that the same holds true and that we must take our place for righteousness and see the deliverance of God..

A Nation on the Edge !

The news reaching us about conditions in Zimbabwe are of grave concern and deeply troubling. That are people being beaten and brutalised for the manner in which they voted is deplorable and beyond comprehension in a modern world. How is it possible that this type of violence can take place in 2008 ? How is it possible with the history of this wonderful nation where oppression and repression were the very things for which a war of liberation was waged that we find those very things evident in our nation and by some accounts even more horrific than that perpertrated on the nation by the previous regime.

What is even more disturbing is the silence and seeming impotence SADC leaders to bring pressure to bear in such a way that the violence and brutality is halted. Unbelieveably we still hear of African leaders declaring that the Zimbabwe problem is an internal one and that the Zimbabweans can solve their problems.. If this is the case why was mediation required in order to set up an environment for the March 29th Election to take place in relative peace and tranquility ? Why was it necessary to have observers on the ground during the voting process ? WHY WHY ? Because the Zimbabwe situation required outside involvement. The protracted counting process and announcement of results compounded with the escalation in violence and the announcement of a delay in the Presidential run-off are not figments of the imagination they are fact ! African leaders have been calling for the rest of the world to take them seriously and to trust that they can resolve issues on the continent.. Following closely on the heels of the Kenyan election and post election situation one would have expected African leaders to have been more proactive when it became clear that the Zimbabwe situation was exhibiting very clear similarities to the Kenyan situation. Once the reports of violent repercussions started to emerge WHY did African leaders still remain relatively quiet and uninvolved ? How is it that standing up for what is right could be viewed as taking sides and becoming partisan - in fact by refusing to speak up and stand up for what is right demonstrates the lack of partiality of the so-called negotiator who appears to be very partisan.

So while we wait for a break through, lives are being destroyed and fear is taking root in the psyche of a nation already severely traumatised.. Those if us committed to God and firmly determined to trust in Him are praying, fasting and daring to believe that the breakthrough will come soon, that Zimbabwe will be restored to a time of peace and prosperity..

Dear God bring Zimbabwe back from the edge of destruction and release your peace into this wonderful nation. Let Proserity and Productivityy return to Zimbabwe.....AMEN !

Leadership Crisis

The statement has been made that Africa's leadership is like a lake a mile wide but only an inch deep. At a first reading, I as an African found this to be very disturbing, BUT the fact that it was made an African leader caused me to stop and consider that statement..

Following the unfolding events n Zimbabwe's four tiered election and the failure to publish the official results of the Presidential poll have made me give some more thought to that statement. The seeming reluctance of African leaders to take decisive action to bring about a resolution and prevent violence seems to lend come credence to the allegation that the 'depth' of our leadership is only 2,5cms.

With images from the Kenyan crisis fresh in our minds one would have thought the African leaders would have acted more decisively and sooner.. Yet they wait ! A two hour meeting extend into a marathon 12 hour meeting which culminates in a bland and just about meaningless official communique. How is it possible that the announcement of the results can be considered a true reflection of the peoples will when almost 3 weeks have elapsed since citizens cast their votes. The SADC heads of state are not ignorant of what is happening in Zimbabwe. Some have their countries flooded with Zimbabweans attempting to stay their illegally.. Zimbabweans flood neighbouring SADC states to purchase essential foodstuff and medical supplies..

What then is the definition of crisis according to SADC leaders ?? It would seem that hyperinflation, oppression of it's citizens, muzzling of the media, mass exodus of citizens many claiming refugee status to name just a few current Zimbabwean realities are not indicative of a crisis. Perhaps the mass chaos, looting and deaths of citizens, as recently witnessed in Kenya is the definition of crisis.. To out it another way - until there's blood in the street there is no crisis. There is only a crisis when people are being killed for no apparent reason except that they support a particular political party. It appears our leaders are reactive rather than proactive. How else does one explain their actions after a marathon 12 hour meeting. Isn't it strange that at this emergency meeting (held in the absence of official presidential results) there are calls for all to accept the results as announced, and to be ready to go for a second round run off ? There is a call for official results to be released BUT all the talk seems to indicate that the results were known !! Who told the SADC leaders what the results were ? Perhaps somebody counted the results from the figures posted on the doors of the polling stations and made them available (albeit unofficially) to them. Perhaps ?

So Zimbabwe limps on, its people suffer a leadership vacuum, the uncertainty of the future and the leaders on whom the responsibility for leadership, direction and vision is vested dilly dally and waffle on.

Now we are made to believe that somehow the opposition rigged the elections.. BUT didn't the SADC team give the run up to the election and the election a clean bill of health. Well if it was so credible blah blah blah, why then has SADC not taken the same kind of bold stance to demand the release of the results that they declared as being credible.. Could it be that SADC really did not expect the opposition to do so well ? Could it be that they were aware of how grossly lopsided and skewed the political playing field really was and that there really was no way the opposition could win ? And then the unthinkable takes place- The opposition appear to have had a significant win !! Suddenly not only is ZANU(PF) and ZEC stunned But so too are SADC and they did not know what to do.

The official communique from the emergency SADC summit came as no surprise, sadly it leaves one wondering at what will be the outcome of these momentous elections in the next few weeks, and it appears that, with the blessing of SADC, the ruling authorities in Zimbabwe will fiddle the books, in all likelihood call for a second round re-run of the presidential poll, re-count ZANU(PF) into a parliamentary majority and remain the govt of the day.

The horrible thought is this - WHAT then will be the future of Zimbabwe under the leadership of a regime that has increasingly shown itself incapable of dealing with the problems in Zimbabwe that have really been created, for the most part, by itself !!

Unless God works a miracle in Zimbabwe the outlook is very very grim and dark. I have committed myself to pray for the miracle.. I invite you to join me in this strategic assignment.

The Subtle Trap of Effective Leadership

On Tuesday morning I faced a very close call with what could have either resulted in serious physical injuries to my person or even death.. Praise God neither occured.

While on the main road to Windhoek at about 9:00am, an oncoming driver who was not really paying attention, attempted to pass two or three vehicles. This was on bend in road and going over and incline.. I guess it is true what they say about time seemingly slowing down in these situations. That is exactly what I experienced, time seemed to slow down and it seemed as though I had plenty of time to think and take evasive action.. I praise God that my car sustained minimal damage and neither I nor the driver of the other vehicle were injured..

In a moment I was reminded of my two good friends - Lester and Freddie who in 2001 (I think) were killed in a head on collision just outside of Bulawayo. So was I more spiritual than my friends ? They trusted God and in fact Lester and I had spoken about the potential of a road accident due to the amount of travelling he was required to do. We agreed that prayer should be an important part of our preparation before travelling ! I have to admit that I do not remember actually praying on Tuesday morning.. So how is then that I was not punished and was spared ?

Fundamentally- it was not time for me to die ! So what about injury ? God graciously kept me from injury. That is His GRACE and has nothing to do with me in that somehow God owed it to me to keep me from injury. Am I sorry that I was not injured ? Absolutely not.. There are so many things requiring my attention and involvement I am glad I was not sidelined..

Did God get my attention ? You bet He did.. Do not become complacent or take for granted the grace and goodness of the Lord..

While speaking a friend and relating the events surrounding this moment we pondered on God calling leaders to remain vigilant (which praise God I did) and he then commented on how leaders were so suscptible to being tripped up and being sidelined.. In a moment of revelation God dropped into my mind the thought that it is not leadership that so often trips people up BUT it is effective leadership..

Example: King David. It is whilst enjoying the fruit of the effectiveness of leadership that he becomes lax and susceptible to temptation...He falls not when he is struggling to establish himself as a leader BUT rather after having already established himself..

In 2 Corinthians Paul speaks about the thorn in the flesh. Because of amazing revelation God allows Paul to be afflicted by a thorn in the flesh.. This messenger from satan buffets him daily and this keeps him in check, stops him from becoming conceited and puffed up.. Keeps him dependent on God. Remember, Paul pleaded with God to remove the thorn. So it must have been painful and uncomfortable.. Here is the crazy thought: Every effective leader should have some painful affliction to keep them from becoming conceited or puffed up !! What is yours ?

Quite amazing is the realisation that I have often envisaged effective leadership as being characterised by freedom from such affliction.. How true it is of me that I have like Paul pleaded with God to remove any affliction, pain or discomfort from my life.. Now I am a thinking that perhaps I should see through a different lens, process my experiences through a different pradigm.

Well the bottom line is this: The subtle trap of effective leadership is the idea that I have now arrived and I am invincible !

Eric, take heed when you stand lest you fall.. I encourage fellow leaders to be aware of the subtelty of effectiveness and as you recognise all the hallmark signs that you are becoming an effective leader, welcome the thorn in the flesh - it has been sent for your own good.. Remember that you and I are to reflect the son - we are not the son.. If we look good, or appear effective, remember it is just a reflection of our Lord and master - so stay clean and give a good reflection. The son cannot reflect well off a dirty surface !!

Be blessed and please feel free to comment or contact me at ericgarnie@gmail.com