Look at South Africa - "Celebrate the Beloved Country" (Updated)
by Craig Lock
Article Title: Look at South Africa - "Celebrate the Beloved
Country" (Updated)
Author Name: Craig Lock Line Space: 65 characters (approx) Category (key words): "Inspiration, Spiritual" Publishing Guidelines: Just sharing a few thoughts and
remembrances,
which may be of interest. This piece that I wrote is based upon
an address by former Archbishop Desmond Tutu and may be
freely reproduced electronically or in print.
*
Look at South Africa - "Celebrate the Beloved Country" (Updated)
by Craig Lock
In the light of current world events and global uncertainty,
I
say:
"Look at South Africa"...
Thousands of people died over the years of South Africa's
turbulent, history (and under the "nightmare" called apartheid -
forgotten already ???)...which has ended relatively peacefully.
Out of a violent and bloody past, South Africa's extraordinary
relatively peaceful transition to democracy was a minor miracle...
and I believe, South Africans have accomplished something
unprecented, unparalleled in the last eight years.
Perhaps there is a message in South Africa's violent and tortuous
path to democracy somewhere to the "trouble spots of the world"...
perhaps there was a reason for the misery and tragedy of apartheid,
after all...
A possible role-model?
South Africa may be the "trail-blazer", the beacon of magnanimity, hope and reconciliation to the world. With
strong leadership, a spirit of goodwill, tolerance, acceptance
and attempts to understand other peoples and cultures, who are
different to us (yet we humans have far more in common than
our differences)...and especially with the SPIRIT of peace,
your nightmare too will end. An end to the evil of terrorism,
man's inhumanity to man and the "impossibility" of world peace
CAN one day be achieved.
Let the world celebrate the quite magnificent achievement South
Africans of ALL races and creeds, "The Rainbow People of
God" have accomplished in the past decade. With your "torch
of light" you may yet illuminate the path to a world one day
at
peace with itself. CELEBRATE THE "BELOVED COUNTRY"
God does work in amazing and miraculous ways...and every
person and
country has a unique purpose in "God's Divine Plan".
Craig Lock
"How apartheid was finally buried, without requiem; but in
joyous celebration, will remain forever in the hearts and minds
of a nation reborn. When tears came, and there was dampness
in the eyes of even the most stern, it was for putting the past in
the past and hoping for hope in the future."
"South Africa is blessed in resources beyond many. It dare not
live just for itself. It must work and labour to bless Africa and
the world...but especially Africa. If only for Africa's sake
we
dare not fail;
because as South Africa goes, so will the rest of Africa."
*
Editor's note (http://www.bridgeniche.com): This prayer of Craig Lock was published in THE BRIDGE
EZINE of 05-05-2002, ...so thought we'd share.
PRAYER FOR SOUTH AFRICA
by Craig Lock (1994)
We join in prayer to celebrate this new nation and surrender its destiny to you. We give thanks in our hearts to the founding of this vibrant nation of diverse peoples, a beautiful yet tragic land built upon the rivers of blood, that flowed from our forefathers; yet still flow today...a happy sad land. We give thanks for and bless the souls of those, who came before us and prepared this nation, to nurture and to save it; because so many gave their lives for it, some selflessly and many needlessly. We ask that God's holy spirit now fill the hearts of all this great nation's citizens with a spirit of forgiveness, righteousness, justice, tolerance, respect for others; but especially in a generous spirit of love and hope for the future. In this may we be cleansed of all destructive thoughts. May judgement of others, bigotry, racism and intolerance be washed clean from our hearts, like the blood of our forefathers.
May we play our parts, all of us, in the healing and the furtherance of our diverse country; so that it will one day fulfill its immense potential, a promise yet to be fulfilled. To do the very best within our abilities in developing it socially, politically, economically and spiritually...in a spirit of peace and co-operation, each and every one of us.
Dear Almighty God, you are all-powerful and omnipresent. You hold each one of us in the palms of your mighty hands. May our minds be filled with the thoughts of you; Your unconditional love and Your acceptance of all Your people, His children.
May this nation be forgiven its transgressions against its fellow citizens of all races and creeds and any and all others. May our lives be turned to instruments of resurrection and reconciliation, to reach out and bring all our peoples together, that the sins of our fathers might be reversed through us His children. Let us forgive, even if we can never forget. May the rich promises of this beautiful land be fulfilled...at last. The greatest resource in any nation is its citizens; so may the beauty and greatness of this land burst forth in the hearts of all it's people.
Out of the mistakes and tragedy of the past, may the dreams of our forefathers be realised in us; so that we might live in peace, honesty, integrity and excellence with our neighbours. May this country become a light at the top of the hill unto all the nations of this world (but especially in the "dark" neglected continent of Africa): so that our country will be a beacon of goodness and peace and freedom and especially hope. May violence and darkness be cast out of our midst. May hatred no longer find fertile ground in which to grow here. May all of us feel God's mercy, grace and love upon us.
Dear God, please please ignite the light, the spirit of truth in our hearts. May our newborn nation be given a new light, the sacred fire that will shine so brightly right across this vast land - from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, from the Limpopo in the north to the Cape of Storms at the southern tip of Africa.
May we be forgiven. May our children be blessed. May we be renewed. May each one of us be filled with the spirit of the Almighty. In our lives may each one of us make manifest the glory of God that is in every one of us.
Dear God, please bless South Africa.
Amen
Craig Lock
Madiba (President Mandela), I hope you like it.
With best wishes and the utmost admiration for your generosity of spirit throughout your life.
Doesn't the world need a leader like Nelson Mandela today?
"Cometh the hour, cometh the man."
The problems of the world today cannot be solved by thinking
at
the same level that created them.
Jesus Christ challenged the conventional thinking of the day.
PPS: Why can't the world now try a radically different approach
to South Africa's "largely forgotten" neighbour, Zimbabwe in
"darkest Africa". Even though it's not a strategic country,
like Iraq!
Like South Africa in the past decade, let the world NOW show
how the immense problems under a brutal and repressive
government can also be solved PEACEFULLY through
"constructive
engagement and negotiation in a show of peaceful unity".
Let's not wait for ten years idly passing by. It is now time
to "raise the bar". What the world expects now
as acceptable standards of behaviour in the community of
nations. A radically different approach to that imposed on Iraq;
yet with the same force and passion as the US military have
shown. Now it's time for the United Nations to stand up and
be
counted. To show the peaceful, yet firm way. To at last show
some leadership and shower the people of that beautiful,
yet blighted land under Southern skies with humanitarian aid
in the form of desperately needed food, health supplies and education. That is the "pressure", which will
raise
the standards of what the citizens of Zimbabwe will and will
not
tolerate from their brutal leaders. A more educated, well-fed
and healthy population will
bring about change naturally and according to the will of the people.
It is not up to us to forcibly impose our values (Western and
"superior") on other cultures. (Sanctions incidentally isolate people, build borders and entrench attitudes. Even
when people radically
disagree with other countries internal regimes, things can change
far more easily through dialogue (even with one's enemies)and without the devastating long-term
consequences of violence in countries, when co-operation,
friendship and help is offered in a spirit of tolerance, love and
generosity.
Those leaders, who ignore the lessons of world history are doomed to repeat them.
Let's fight the "war for peace" with passion and with all of our energies. In the "WAR FOR PEACE" everyone then benefits (a "win/win"
situation). I believe, that is the
only true way to lasting world peace and acceptance of each
other..
And so helps make a better world.
Craig Lock
P.S: I am reminded of something Mahatma Gandhi's said not
long before he was assassinated:
"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way
of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and
murderers and for a time they seem invincible; but in the end,
they always fall.
Think of it, ALWAYS."
"Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is
love."
1 Corinthians 13
"When the world is filled with love, people are overflowing
with hope."
Let the world of nations immediately lift sanctions on the beleagured people of Iraq and sent as much humanitarian resolve to help rebuild that devasted country.
"Let us take courage. The years are passing. The time for
decision is now. "
Craig Lock
The novels on South Africa that Craig "felt inspired to write"
are available at:
http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/books.html http://www.novelty-gift.com/ebooks.html and http://www.bridgeniche.com/CLOCK/zaniestbooks.htm
THIS PIECE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED
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